Aspiring president Maria Aurora Marcos delivers her speech after filing her certificate of candidacy or COC on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City.
MANILA, Philippines — One more Marcos would be joining the presidential race in the 2022 elections.
Maria Aurora Marcos, an independent candidate, filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) at 9:51 a.m. on Tuesday, the fifth day of the filing period at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City.
She was the second Marcos to file a COC for president after Tiburcio Marcos formalized his presidential bid in 2022 last Sunday, October 3. Tiburcio was also an independent candidate.
During her speech, Maria Aurora admitted that she does not have the political machinery that other famous politicians have.
“Wala pong political machinery na katulad ng mga popular na mga politiko pero buo ang loob at tapat sa hangaring makatulong sa inaasam na pagbabago ng lahat na Pilipino,” Maria Aurora said.
(I have no political machinery unlike popular politicians but I am determined and honest about my goal to help make the change that all Filipinos wish for come true.)
“Maaaring walang sapat na exposure sa panunungkulan sa gobyerno pero [may] sapat [na] kaalaman [at] adhikain kung paano mapaunlad ang maging kabuhayan at maibalik ang ating bansa kung saan itong dapat kinalalagyan sa community of the nations,” she added.
(I may not have enough exposure to government leadership but I have enough knowledge and ambition on how to improve lives and restore the country where it should be in the community of nations.)
Among Maria Aurora’s platforms were securing health and insurance for Filipinos, free hospitalization, eradicating corruption, and increasing wages.
The aspirant also recalled the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, claiming that the Philippines was second to Japan in terms of the economy at that time.
However, verified data shows that the Philippines’ gross domestic product dropped to negative 7.32 percent and negative 7.037 percent during the administration of Ferdinand Marcos in 1984 and 1985, respectively.
READ: Marcos’ martial law: Golden age for corruption, abuses
When asked if she would face Ferdinand’s son and namesake, Bongbong, in the presidential contest, Maria Aurora said it would not be a battle and that she would not back out.
“Hindi po ito paglalaban kung hindi pagtulungan ang taumbayan sa bansa natin ng kaunlaran at katahimikan ng ating bansa,” she answered.
(This is not a battle but helping one another for the development and peace in our country.)
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