Filipino community leaders in Hawaii have every reason to celebrate the election of Benigno Aquino III as president of the Philippines. Although young and politically obscure in recent years, Aquino can be expected to carry on his family's devotion to democracy and integrity.

Aquino appears to have won a lopsided plurality over his closest rival, former President Joseph Estrada, in elections this week. He has assured a lean, graft-free Cabinet and promised to limit his travel overseas, investigate corruption and renew peace talks aimed at ending decades-long insurgencies.

The new president's popular father was assassinated in 1983 while opposing Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship. His mother, Corazon Aquino, ran in her husband's place and took the slogan of “;people power”; into the presidency in 1986. The son attracted little attention while serving nine years in the House of Representatives and three in the Senate.

Aquino succeeds Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whose administration was plagued by corruption and who could not seek another term. He has promised to have Arroyo herself investigated for graft and advocated judicial reforms to address corruption.

“;He wants to be more transparent than this past administration,”; Geminiano “;Toy”; Arre Jr., president of the Filipino Community Center in Hawaii, told the Star-Bulletin's Rosemarie Bernardo. “;People have the perception that he will do well in terms of running an honest government, looking after the people first.”;

The voting may be over but the political battle could reach another stage. Arroyo, whose father was president in the 1960s before Marcos came to power, was the landslide winner of a House seat representing her home district north of Manila. Her party, which has dominated the chamber in recent years, is expected to push for her to be speaker of the House.

If that happens, she can be expected to try to have Congress change the constitution to create a parliamentary system, similar to Britain. In that way, she could become prime minister and relegate Aquino to a ceremonial role.

The election brought another famous dynasty to the forefront in contrast to Aquino: Imelda Marcos returns to the House, where she was elected in 1995, her daughter Imee was elected governor in the family's Ilocos Norte province and son Ferdinand “;Bongbong”; Marcos Jr. won his Senate race. The late dictator's widow continues to deny that she engaged in massive corruption and human rights abuses.

“;There will be a layer of people who will go with them right or wrong,”; said Belinda Aquino, a professor emeritus of Pacific and Asian Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, not related to the president-apparent. She said the younger generation is largely unaware of the Marcos history.

Clearly, the Philippines' new administration faces opposition and distraction from different corners. Embodying the character of his parents, “;Noynoy”; Aquino holds great promise to prevail and his popularity will grow as he tries to revitalize the country's economy.