(Eagle News) — President Benigno S. Aquino III on Friday endorsed Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II as the “one fully ready to continue the Straight Path” or “Daang Matuwid” and the one who deserves to be the country’s next leader.
Roxas readily accepted the endorsement and vowed that he would not fail his “bosses.”
The endorsement was seen as “expected” and “anti-climactic” by the camp of vice-president Jejomar Binay who has long announced his intention to run for the presidential race.
During the Liberal Party’s “A Gathering of Friends”, held at the Cory C. Aquino Kalayaan Hall of Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan, President Aquino raised Secretary Roxas’ hand, declaring him as the party’s standard-bearer for next year’s presidential election.
In his speech, the President said he has two major obligations to his Bosses before he steps down from office — to ensure a clean, peaceful and credible election; and to find someone who will continue his Daang Matuwid advocacy.
He noted that his search for this candidate led him to interview three people, whom he described as allies in pursuing the Straight Path.
“Kinapanayam ko ang tatlong tao, na sa aking pananaw ay kabalikat sa Daang Matuwid. Maganda nga po sana, na ang mga kailangan pang magsanay ay talaga pong magkakaroon ng pagkakataong mahinog at maunawaan ang tunay na lalim ng pagkapinuno. Sa akin pong paniniwala, itong tatlo, kung magkakasama-sama ay talagang matinding tambalan. Doon po, sa ngayon, ay hindi pa tayo nagtatagumpay. Nagkaunawaan po kami; mukha namang iisa ang aming hangarin, pero hindi eksaktong paraan ang nasasaisip para maabot ito,” he said, referring to his meetings with Roxas, and Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero.
He emphasized that what is at stake is too important to leave to “baka sakali” (maybe).
“Ang sa akin lang po: Bakit tayo magpapaakit sa ‘baka’, kung meron namang sigurado? Siguradong may kakayahan; siguradong walang ibang Boss kundi ang taumbayan, siguradong walang ibang pinagkakautangan ng loob, siguradong walang ibang interes kundi ang bayan. Sa madaling salita po, doon na po tayo sa siguradong itutuloy ang Daang Matuwid. At ang paniniwala ko po, ang taong ito, walang iba kundi si Mar Roxas,” said President Aquino.
Citing Roxas’ accomplishments, the President said that when he was the trade and industry secretary, Roxas brought the multi-dollar business process outsourcing (BPO) industry to the country, which, since 2000, has ballooned into a P18.9 billion industry, employing more than one million people as of 2014.
“Ang hindi alam ng marami: Huli nang nakasali ang Cubao sa paglago ng mga BPO dahil pinagbawalan ni Mar ang pamilya niyang mag-apply sa mga ecozone. Idiin po natin: Ang sariling pamilyang matagal nang negosyante, kinumbinsi niyang huwag makisali sa inisyatibang sinimulan niya bilang opisyal ng gobyerno. Dito po, at sa marami pang ibang halimbawa, klarong-klaro ang integridad ng isang Mar Roxas,” he said.
The President also praised Roxas for his work during the Zamboanga siege, the Bohol and Cebu earthquake, and the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, commenting that there seems to be an entire industry dedicated to bringing him down despite his sacrifices.
“Ang hindi alam ng marami, kapag gabi at natutulog na ang media, si Mar mismo ang nagmamaneho at umiikot sa mga komunidad para tingnan kung ano pa ang dapat magawa,” he added.
The President urged the country’s voters to choose wisely who to support in next year’s election.
“Suriin po natin ang mga nagawa ng kandidato; mas maganda pa nga po kung mahaba-haba ang karanasang basehan ng pagsusuri, dahil doon natin makikita ang maraming ebidensiya ng pagiging tapat at mahusay niyang kabalikat sa Daang Matuwid,” he said.
“Malinaw po kung sino sa mga pagpipilian ang tunay at karapat-dapat nating maging susunod na pinuno. At kung mababa man ang kanyang mga numero sa ngayon, ibig sabihin kailangan pa nating paghusayan ang pagpapakilala sa kanya,” said the President.
For his part, Roxas said he was honored and that he willingly accepts the endorsement and the challenges that come with it.
“Hindi-hindi ako lilihis sa Daang Matuwid. Ibubuhos ko ang lahat; wala akong ititira para sa sarili ko. I will leave everything on the floor para sa labang ito,” he said.
Roxas also paid homage to his deceased brother, Gerardo “Dinggoy” Roxas, Jr., who died in 1993 due to cancer of the colon.
“Siya sana ang ambag ng aming henerasyon sa prinsipyong pamana ng aking lolo: ‘Bayan bago sarili.’ Kakambal na ng dugo namin ang kaisipang ito. Ito ang idiniin sa akin ng ama kong si Gerry at ito ang idinidiin ko sa anak at mga pamangkin ko: May obligasyon kang magsilbi; unahin mo ang kolektibo kaysa personal. Nang nawala si Dinggoy, sa akin lumapag ang responsibilidad na isabuhay ang prinsipyong ito. Hindi ko ito kayang talikuran; hindi ko kayang talikuran ang alaala ng Dad at ni Dinggoy, pati na ng aking Lolo,” he said.
The Interior Secretary is the grandson of former President Manuel Roxas.
“Ngayon, buong katapatan, buong-loob, at buong-paninindigan kong tinatanggap ang tawag ng Daang Matuwid. Tulad ng sinabi ninyo, simula pa lang ito. Laban pa rin tayo,” he said.
“Ako si Mar Roxas, tinatanggap ko ang hamon ng ating mga Boss: itutuloy, palalawakin, at ipaglalaban ang Daang Matuwid.” (with PND report)