Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Noynoy, Mar: We won't steal

By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated September 22, 2009

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manuel Roxas II formally declared yesterday he is running with Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino Jr., and both promised not to steal from the people if elected.

(Comment: So politicians are really stealing. Period)


“I wholeheartedly accept the challenge to push forward the reforms in the country. I wholeheartedly accept the responsibility of being Noynoy’s partner in his fight for change. I wholeheartedly accept to be Noynoy Aquino’s partner,” Roxas said in a speech before supporters and LP members at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.

He also thanked Aquino for the opportunity to work with him “as we raise the banner of reform” and “fight for decency and integrity in public service, and for a government that puts the people’s interest first.”

(Comment: Like I was saying in this blog, there's no deceny, integrity in the publicservice and these people DO NOT put the people's INTEREST first! I was so true from the very start).

“Noy, you have raised the banner. This is the banner of hope and reform. This will put food on the table because the funds for the farmers will no longer be stolen. This will provide jobs to the people because investors will no longer be victims of extortion. This will make prices of medicine affordable because there will no longer be government connivance with abusive pharmaceutical companies,” Roxas said in Filipino.

(Comment: So Sen Roxas knew these stealings, connivance and extortions in the government. How come he is only saying this NOW? Dahil tatakbo sya? Hay, baka naman kasi nakinabang din sya rito? Just curious..)

Roxas was apparently taking a swipe at the Arroyo administration for its involvement in high-level corruption, including the alleged diversion of funds for farmers to the campaign kitty of President Arroyo in the fertilizer fund scam and the overpriced national broadband network deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

Critics have also accused the Arroyo administration of allegedly dragging its feet on the cheaper medicine law due to the strong lobby of giant pharmaceutical firms.

But Roxas stressed the fight would not just be about him and Aquino. “It’s bigger than the two of us, it is bigger than the Liberal Party. It is about our collective thirst for change. It is about our thirst for change finally overcoming those who want to continue the tayo-tayo (exclusive) system, the horse-trading, the greed, the self-interest, the transactional politics that has been the biggest roadblock to progress and prosperity for all,” he said.

“This is about what is straight and what is crooked. This is about the honest against the corrupt. This about right versus wrong,” Roxas said.

Roxas acknowledged that it would be a tough battle in 2010 and that they should not be lulled into complacency.

“We are up against forces who will fight tooth and nail, fair and unfair, legal and illegal, against us. For them, happiness continues; for us, the fight is on,” Roxas said.

“Our opponents will exhaust all avenues in order to win. They have been robbing us for so long, and they want to continue robbing us. But we will not allow them to rob our hopes as well,” he said.

(Comment: Lumang tugtugin at tuno na 'to).

“I am honored to join him (Aquino) in this field of battle. To all of us here in this hall and all across this great nation who are fighting alongside him, make no mistake about it: We will not back down from this fight, not now, not ever,” Roxas said.

“The fog of cynicism has already lifted from our hearts. Now, we can dream again. Together, we will not forsake you. We will fight,” he said.

Lower taxes

For his part, Aquino said in a press conference after Roxas’s declaration that he was hoping to bring down taxes if elected by using government resources judiciously.

“Our ambition is to lower taxes and maybe the key there is to collect the existing ones correctly. And maybe if the use of the public funds will be more proper, then the basic services for the people will become better and available at lesser cost to the people,” Aquino said.

(Comment: Truly, Aquino and ROxas do not have a good plan for the government to earn except from taxes. Talaga naman kasing walang plataporma hindi lang silang dalawa kundi lahat ng tatakbo sa election. The same names, the same faces, the same tunes, the same promises. These two, including all presidentialbles, do not know how to make the Filipino government competitive and attractive to business and investors (local and abroad). So this is what we'll get if they are elected. No plans, no strategy, no long-term blue print for the hungry masses).

He said he hopes to attract more investors by eliminating corruption and ensuring that government funds are spent wisely.

Roxas’s acceptance of Aquino’s invitation to be the LP’s vice presidential bet was timed for the 37th anniversary of the declaration of martial law, which their parents, former senators Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and Gerardo “Gerry” Roxas, fought as LP stalwarts and opposition leaders.

Aquino’s mother, former President Corazon Aquino, took her oath in the same hall at Club Filipino when she took over the presidency after the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos in a peaceful people power revolution in February 1986. His father was assassinated on Aug. 21, 1983 upon his return from self-exile in the United States.

Yesterday was also the celebration of Eid al-Fitr or the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

A Catholic priest and a Muslim preacher led the invocation. The prayers were for change and true freedom from poverty and other problems of the country, particularly strife in Mindanao.

Aquino praised Roxas for giving up his presidential plans for the sake of unity.

“This sacrifice gave way to the launching of a national movement formed by the people thirsty for the return of decent, clean and good governance,” Aquino said.

He cited the long history of friendship - of sharing the same ideals and dreams for the country - between his and Roxas’s family.

(Comment: Like what I have been writing in this blog, I know Sens Roxas and Aquino both have clean intention to clean up the government. Andun na ko. But, again, going to a war with no war plans (platform) for the people is inutile. Ano ba talaga ang mga plano nila para sa tao? Gutom? Crime? War in Mindanao? Corruption (both government and private)? Image of the country? Poverty? etc... They are only taking advantage of the recent popularity of former President Cory Aquino, who by the way, has not put a lot of corrupt and Marcos cronies to jail and whose government was almost toppled by coups. Literaly, hers was a weak government and was not very effective. Again, the same names. What we need are new blood, new leaders, new names who can speed up the development of the country not because they came from prominent families in the country (para bang sila-sila na lang palagi ang pag-asa ng 90 million Filipinos. Mahiya na naman kayo, no?). These new leaders are new Filipinos who can give new meaning, new ideas, new hope and interest for the people to start becoming productive again and bring the much awaited economic rebirth in the country. Palitan na ang mga trapos. Palitan na ang "sila-sila" mentality. Pairalin na ang katotohanang hindi effective ang mga lumang politikong ito kasama na rito ang kanilang mga anak na ngayon ay balak ituloy ang kani-kanilang alitan sa gobyerno --- at the EXPENSE of the Filipinos). Tama na. Mahiya na kayo!)