Bayani Fernando announces 2010 presidential bid

MANILA, Philippines – Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando declared yesterday that he will definitely run in the 2010 presidential elections.

Speaking before the new officers of the Confederation of Filipino Consultants, Inc., or COFILCO, at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan, Fernando said if elected president he will inculcate to all Filipinos, especially the employees and officials of government, the true essence of “political will.”

Fernando said the reason why corruption continuously exists in government is due to the lack of political will in government. “Now I have set my eyes on the presidency, and I hope you will rally behind my cause. I will govern with transparency and hold myself accountable to the people at all times,” Fernando said. He said he is confident that he will get the anointment of the Lakas-Kampi party because he was the only one from Lakas who had expressed the intention to seek the presidency in 2010.

“I have the biggest chance of being selected by the Lakas-Kampi coalition because I am the only member of Lakas who has declared to run for president in 2010. Kampi has no candidate for president in 2010. I expect the commitment of the party to its party members,” Fernando said. The MMDA chief said Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. is the only member of Lakas who has so far expressed his intention to run for vice president in 2010. “But there are still many possibilities, right now. And I cannot say yet who will be my running mate,” Fernando said.

Fernando said if elected president, lazy government employees and officials will definitely loose their jobs.

“If you will not do your work, if you will not work, you will definitely be sacked,” Fernando said.

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Fernando refused to comment on reports that Vice President Noli de Castro is the only strong presidentiable of the administration.

“To our people out there, whose dreams and aspirations have always been thwarted by bad governance, I promise to adopt a different approach to leadership, one that takes into account the longings of the people for a better life,” Fernando said.

Fernando said he stands by his record and stand with his position always.

“I stand by my record, I don’t split hair as lawyers do, but I will stand my ground and defend my position against any attempt to confuse truth with falsity. I don’t talk much, I would rather solve a problem than talk about it. I am a builder, not a talker,” Fernando said. He said Marikina City, Metro Manila and the country are the same when it comes to governance.

“The principle of governance is the same, whether you run a city, a metropolis, or an entire country. The same problems bedevil our towns and cities: Crime , corruption in government, degradation of the environment, unemployment and underemployment, access to education and health care and lack of economic opportunity,” Fernando said.

Fernando cited that under his leadership as mayor of Marikina, it progressed from a second-class, sleepy munici­pality to a city that became the destination of choice for foreign investors. “Its annual tax collection rose from a mere P77 million in 1992 when I took over to P1 billion when I left office,” Fernando said. He said he was able to do it through “discipline and civic spirit that I espoused that city residents willingly and enthusiastically embraced.”

“Like most of the people here, I, too, am an engineer, and I take pride in my accomplishments as a builder. I think my most important achievement, however, was my success in instilling discipline among the city residents,” Fernando said. — With Dennis Carcamo