No rest day when Aquino turns 52

President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

No day off when he turns 52 on Wednesday but maybe a special date on Valentine’s Day?

President Benigno Aquino III couldn’t help but smile broadly when asked what his birthday wish was.

“If you are the chief servant, your wishes are not that important, especially on a personal basis,” the bachelor President told reporters Monday. “So as not to have any frustrations, I will not make any wish anymore.”

Mr. Aquino said he would be thankful if his birthday would be quiet and marked with fewer concerns than usual, as he rattled off many issues facing the country.

“But if not, I’m still ready [to face them],” he said.

Working day

Anyway, Wednesday will still be “the same day” for him—a working day.

The President said he intended to “work fully” and spend Wednesday night “on other matters that need my attention.”

It would be the second time Mr. Aquino will be celebrating his birthday as President.

“If there will be some people who would pray for me, thank you. If there will be some people who would criticize me, that’s how it is. I have no day off on my birthday, thank you,” he said.

Asked whether he expected to have a colorful Valentine’s Day next week, the President couldn’t help but laugh, apparently because the import of the question—an allusion to his admission last week that he was dating radio-TV personality Grace Lee, a Korean—was not lost on him.

He pointed out that he always tried to prepare his answers to media questions but that this particular query put his preparations to waste.

“So can we just watch and wait whether something will happen or not instead of planning for nothing, don’t you think so? Let’s just wait OK? And Happy Valentine’s to all,” the President said.