Noy campaigns for Mar in Rome, denigrates rivals

ROME – Without mentioning names, President Aquino yesterday made a pitch for the candidacy of Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II before the Filipino community here and took potshots at the other presidential bets.

What was supposed to be a meeting about the plight of Filipino communities turned into a campaign rally after Aquino suggested that Roxas alone could continue the reforms he initiated.

“We dreamed and now our dreams came true. Are we going to hold back? Why would we rely on those who only deliver promises or those who might, I repeat, might, fulfill their promises if we already have a companion who joined us and worked with us to transform our country?” Aquino told about 500 Filipinos at the Ergife Palace Hotel here.

“Maybe you already know who I am referring to,” he said. 

Aquino also alluded to Roxas’ rivals, depicting them as candidates who lack integrity or the capability to sustain the gains of his administration.

He made reference to the allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was tagged in allegedly overpriced projects in Makati, where he served as mayor for many years.

“Let us examine the people we are choosing from. One of them has been accused of stealing from public coffers for many years. If these allegations are true and if this person really stole from public funds, what will be left to make good his promise that life will be better?” Aquino said, apparently referring to Binay’s slogan “Kay Binay, gaganda ang buhay (With Binay, life will be better).”

Aquino also scored the supposed failure of survey frontrunner Sen. Grace Poe to come up with specific platforms.

“Someone promised to surpass everything we did. If that happens, I will be the first one to applaud her. But listen very carefully. She never said how she will fulfill that promise. There is no context, no plan, just criticisms and half-baked promises,” the President said.

“Maybe she thinks if she gets elected, she will wake up to a new day where all the problems she mentioned will have solutions,” he added in Filipino, obviously alluding to Poe’s slogan “May bagong umagang parating (A new day will come).”

Aquino also made reference to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that he would kill many people when elected president.

He also scored Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s plan to use social media to drum up support for her campaign.

“Maybe she is not aware that you cannot build roads or feed the hungry using only Facebook,” the President said.

Aquino urged members of the Filipino community to choose carefully the candidates they will support in the 2016 polls.

“According to a study, if our momentum is not disrupted within a generation, we will attain what is called a high-income status or first world status. The question for the next elections: will we continue soaring high or will we fall to where we came from?” Aquino said.

He likened the relationship between the president and his constituents to the marriage of his parents, the late Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino.

“We are looking for similarities: Similarities in heart, and in dream – an opportunity to put you first, to which you are ready to contribute to attain our objectives,” the President said.  “If that happens, and if the heart of the leader is in the right place, he will fight for you and clash with anyone who will try to oppress you because you have given him strength, because he knows that whatever happens, you are right behind him.”

With six months remaining in his term, Aquino said he is ready to face those who were affected by his anti-corruption drive.

“The fight is not over yet. After I step down, the corrupt who were made accountable for their actions might get back at me to threaten those who have noble aims,” the President said.

“I am ready to face this. It is clear to me that I if I agreed to retain the status quo, nothing good will happen to our country,” he added.

Mixed reactions

Some Filipino migrants who listened to Aquino’s speech were disappointed by his subtle endorsement of Roxas.

Liza Bueno, a native of Batangas, said the President should not have bashed Roxas’ rivals during the event.

“As a leader, he should be fair,” Bueno said in an interview.

“I did not hear any agenda related to OFWs (overseas Filipino workers). I am not yet convinced that I should vote for Roxas,” she said.

Rita Perez Landicho, a native of Oriental Mindoro, lamented that Aquino did not ask them about their condition. She said she expected the President to take questions from members of the Filipino community.

“He is the president and as a leader of the country, he should not be speaking against other candidates,” Landicho said.

Other Filipino migrants, however, are impressed by Aquino’s performance as president.

“What he said is right. While other candidates are just starting, the President has already done something and this should be continued,” Paul Reyes, a native of Tarlac, said.

“I’m saying this not because I am from Tarlac. We can see the positive developments in our country,” he added.

Reyes, however, said it is still too early for him to choose a candidate, saying he needs to listen to the parties’ platforms first.?A Pulse Asia survey conducted from Oct. 18 to 29 showed that Poe was the most preferred presidential candidate for the 2016 election. The neophyte senator was preferred by 39 percent of respondents, while Vice President Jejomar Binay ranked second with 24 percent. 

Roxas placed third with 21 percent, while Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago ranked fourth with 11 percent.

The survey was held weeks before Duterte declared his candidacy and before a Commission on Elections division disqualified Poe for failing to meet the 10-year residency requirement.

Mini-SONA

Aquino’s speech also turned out to be a mini state of the nation address (SONA), with the President using government statistics and a video presentation to highlight the achievements of his administration.

He talked about the 6.2 percent average annual economic growth during the last five years of his administration and the increase in foreign direct investment (FDI).

The Philippine economy grew by six percent in the third quarter, lower than the administration’s five-year average but faster than the 5.8 percent recorded in the previous quarter. The figure was also below the government’s growth assumptions of seven to eight percent for this year and for 2016.  

Philippine FDI, meanwhile, soared to $6.2 billion last year from $3.7 billion in 2013 but paled in comparison with Singapore’s $67.52 billion, Indonesia’s $22.58 billion, Thailand’s $12.57 billion, Malaysia’s $10.79 billion and Vietnam’s $9.2 billion.

Aquino also talked about the 27 percent increase in car sales in 2014, a figure that he claimed reflected the stronger purchasing power of young people. He said a total 270,000 new vehicles and 1.2 million motorcycles were sold last year.