MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday threw his full support behind President Benigno Aquino III as he lauded him for keeping his office free from graft and corruption.
Speaking before the 33rd National Conference of Employers in Pasay City, Binay noted how Aquino managed to keep his office clean as promised when he took the reins of the presidency almost two years ago.
“Our President was brought to office by a convincing mandate drawn from all sectors of society. To this day, His Excellency and his office are free from the taint of corruption and his commitment to his mandate is as clear as ever,” Binay said in his speech.
“You will recall that on the day he and the rest of this administration took oath, a covenant was made with the Filipino people, a pact founded on the social conscience that government is charged to keep whole,” he said.
Despite criticisms, Binay said local and global support for the Aquino administration’s governance remains high.
But critics and academics would disagree with Binay’s glowing assessment of the Aquino administration. They contend that the supposed anti-corruption drive of Aquino has not translated into revenue generation and many remained in deep poverty.
“There will be those who will quickly point out that not everyone agrees with the elected powers. This is true, but there is no law that compels each and every one to share the same views as their governors,” he said.
“These disagreements do not imply a pervading sense of discord but rather a healthy and vibrant democracy, where anyone can express their views proudly and be heard by those they disagree with.”
Binay said the country has been “blessed” with a government that seeks to clear not just the “cobwebs of the past, but the conscience of the very institution that the nation has tasked to steer its course.”
“We are perched on the hopes of our people, and it is my prayer that all of us will be the wind that permits us to take flight,” he said.
Binay, despite perceptions that he would eventually part ways with Aquino after he declared his presidential bid in 2016, defended the government when he spoke about the conference’s theme: “The Social Conscience of Government.”
“Our mission is much greater: to protect and uphold the universal rights of every Filipino. These rights are enshrined in law, and under this context each person’s freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness is justly framed,” he said.
“As government, our duty is to ensure that each man can claim his destiny or build a humane future for himself, with the law and the government acting in the best interest of each and every citizen. This is the social conscience of government and if our conscience is to remain clear, then it must at all times be rooted in this truth,” the Vice President added.