Roxas woos university students

CEBU, Philippines - Presidential candidate Manuel Roxas yesterday tried to win the support of the students in Cebu by having a dialogue with them and promised to give education a priority if he wins the presidency in 2016.

Roxas was supposed to attend a presidential forum organized by Mega Cebu but was cancelled because the other candidates were not available.

The Liberal Party standard bearer pushed through with his trip to Cebu despite the cancellation of the forum and instead visited the University of the Visayas to dialogue with the students.

Among the questions asked by the students during the dialogue was his stand on the K to 12 Basic Education Program. Roxas said he is fully supporting the program because it will make the Philippines’ educational system globally competitive.

 Roxas said the Philippines is one of the three countries left that have 10 years basic education. He said most of the countries are already implementing the 12-year basic education system.

“I support and continue the K to 12 Basic Program,” he said.

Roxas, the anointed candidate of President Benigno Aquino III, said that he would continue hiring more teachers if he wins next year. He also took the opportunity yesterday to brag what has been accomplished by the present administration in terms of education.

Roxas said the government has built 66,800 classrooms in 2010 and hired several teachers. He said the administration has started implementing the K to 12 in 2012 and has also built 70,000 classrooms. He said the government is also planning to build 180,000 classrooms more next year.

“We will continue to keep hiring teachers. We need to keep educating the people para may trabaho ang bawat Pilipino,” Roxas said.

Roxas believes that the new education system would make the Filipinos ready for the ASEAN Integration. According to Roxas, the Pilipinos must learn tradable skill which the K to 12 program can help.

He also promised to discuss with the Maritime Industry Authority the concerns of the future seafarers about the centralized processing of documents in Manila. Maritime students said it is a burden for them to process documents in Manila.

After the dialogue, Roxas also met with the political leaders in the first district led by Congressman Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas and his grandfather, former congressman Eduardo “Eddiegul” Gullas.

The other political leaders present were Minglanilla Mayor Elanito Peña, Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong, and Neneth Reluya of San Fernando.

Eddiegul said nothing political was discussed during the meeting. He said they only talked about development during the meeting.

Eddiegul said they have not discussed the political situation in the first district where he will be running against a member of its coalition partner, Liberal Party.

He will challenge incumbent Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes who defeated him in the last elections.  (FREEMAN)