(Cambridge, Massachusetts) — President Benigno S. Aquino III has said he welcomes the thought of having new people in government as he remains positive toward signing the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill into law.
“At the end of the day, new blood has to bring new ideas, new methodologies, new energies that perhaps can improve on that which was already set,” President Aquino told students of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government during a forum held in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Monday.
The President was responding to a student’s question on the presence of political dynasties in the Philippines and how people who do not come from such dynasties could have a fair shot at winning in the polls.
“First of all, there are already measures before Congress and I’m about to pass the Anti-Dynasty Law in furtherance of the Constitution,” he said.
The President also reiterated his previous observation that some politicians may be put at a disadvantage, even if they are doing something right and not just relying on the good reputation attached to their famous name.
“To forestall the possibility that there will be abuse of situations, then perhaps we should make sure that, at some point—if not, perhaps after their term limits—there is a whole new set (of leaders) who will be bringing in ideas that hopefully will build upon that which is already developed,” he said.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate are deliberating on their respective versions of the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, which has recently gained steady backing from other politicians as well.
Meanwhile, the President still would not name who would be his choice as successor for the presidential post once his term ends in 2016 (PND with a report from Ely Saludar)