When one thinks of TV evangelists running for president, most Americans probably think of Pat “Nuke the State Dept” Robertson, but it’s Bro. Eddie C. Villanueva who’s on Filipino Christians’ minds these days. ECV is no ordinary born-again televangelist. Check out this fairly dramatic bio.

Hailing from an entrepreneurial background, ECV studied economics, commerce, and law; then lived life as a labor leader and communist activist, from which he later converted, to become a born-again Christian and founder of “Jesus Is Lord,” one of the Philippines’ largest evangelical movements. He has family in politics, he knows how to manage, organize, speak, and fight, and he has the considerable backing of the JIL denomination. He has a principled yet non-theocratic platform, and I’m pretty sure we know where he would stand on justice where the Marcoses are concerned. This is a guy I could stand behind for the presidency — if only he had more political experience under his belt.

I don’t think Bro. Eddie can win the 2004 election without a miracle; not with the FPJ and GMA monsters overshadowing him. But miracles can happen, eh? Regardless, these first steps are good ones. If he were to try for Senator or even Veep, or something to get his political feet wet, that would give him an excellent fighting chance in 2010.

2010. How the years fly.