President Aquino yesterday called on the public to vote for a
like-minded and competent candidate rather than someone who extols
“populist sentiments with no substance” to replace him when his term
ends in 2016.
Addressing a semiconductors and electronics industry forum in Makati
City, the President conceded that his proposed term extension is “not
the right solution” to sustain the country’s solid economic gains beyond
2016.
“There are some quarters that were saying I should try and go for a
second term. I don’t think that’s a right solution,” said the President,
who has taken a beating since he started entertaining calls to stay in
power beyond 2016.
“We all have a time card in this world and we have to prepare for the
eventuality of being called to meet our Maker so there has to be that
continuation of people of like mind who will deliver on the promises
that are real and not just self-serving or nice, pleasant to hear,”
Aquino added.
The President affirmed that he would vote for the “right candidate”
who can build on the country’s achievements after 2016. He then asked
the audience to make the same wise decision come 2016 elections.
“And if I can ask you also to discern properly as to whom is
extolling populist sentiments with no substance as opposed to that which
you, not only says the right things but you whom you can trust to
deliver the same. And at the end of the day, again, I have to
reemphasize this is really a collective effort,” Aquino said.
The President was responding to a query made by Elmer Lapeña of
Excelitas Technologies on how the country could boost its
competitiveness and sustain its growth after 2016. Lapeña was among the
handful of business executives who were allowed to ask questions to the
President during the open forum.
Aquino’s latest categorical position against proposed term extension
came after a recent survey found many Filipinos were opposed to Aquino
running for reelection when his term ends in 2016.
Under the Constitution, the President is entitled to only one six-year term and cannot be re-elected.
Back in August, the President triggered a political firestorm when he
declared he was open to the idea of a term extension but would still
listen to the voice of the people on the matter.
In recent days however, there has been signs of the President’s change of heart on the issue.
When asked about his position on term extension during a media forum
last week, the President said he prefers to focus on helping people find
the right successor. He added that his priority was to amend the
Constitution in order to limit the judicial overreach.
“All of us will be called by God at some point in time. It cannot
rest on just one individual. The empowerment of the people and their
ability to get a candidate that really responds to them is, I think, the
legacy that one would have,” Aquino said during a forum with the
Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) last
October 22.
“Even if I were to have a second term, that would still be a need, a
personal need of mine that I would like to prove the maxim that ‘the
measure of success is your ability to train your successor’ works in the
country or is operative in the Philippines,” he added.
Earlier in Bali, Indonesia, President Aquino told Filipino journalist
covering his presidential trip that the “lack of consensus and consent
from the people” prompted him to abandon any thought of running for
reelection.
Aquino issued that statement after a Pulse Asia survey that showed
six out of 10 Filipinos are opposed to his term extension. “The people
have already spoken and their will be done,” he said then.
Meantime, the President pledged to continue to implement reform
programs to promote a business-friendly climate and promote the
country’s inclusive growth during the Semiconductors and Electronics
Industries in the Philippines (SEIPI) forum held in Makati City.
Aquino said his government would also try to attract more investors
to the country in order to generate more jobs for Filipinos. He also
made assurances the government is exerting efforts to augment the
country’s power reserves and reduce power costs to ensure uninterrupted
business activities.
“It’s been in the last few years that we’ve started to get back into
the limelight and we do intend to maximize our exposure by really
proving to all investors that it is really worth their while and a very
sounded decision to invest not just in the country but more importantly
in the people,” the President said.
