Estrada turns 74, says to give Aquino a break

MANILA, Philippines—Former President Joseph Estrada asked Filipinos Monday to give President Benigno Aquino III a chance to solve the country’s problems which he said were left behind by the previous administration.

“This is my honest opinion. All these anomalies, all these impoverished people… these were caused by the Arroyo administration,” Estrada told the Philippine Daily Inquirer during his visit to an orphanage, one of the activities he undertook to mark his 74th birthday Tuesday.

“Noynoy (Aquino’s nickname) has been president for less than a year so he cannot immediately resolve these issues. We must give him time,” said Estrada at the Asociacion de Damas de Filipinas orphanage in Paco, Manila, where he had a spaghetti lunch with the 86 wards and gave them gifts.

The orphanage burned down in 1998 and 23 children and five house parents were killed. Then President Estrada had the orphanage rebuilt.

Earlier, Estrada spent the morning distributing gift bags to residents of Payatas and North Triangle in Quezon City.

“Walang kupas (He’s ageless),” was how Asuncion Cortez, 72, of Barangay North Triangle described Estrada after she received a bag of groceries from him.

“Walang pinagbago at wala pa rin siyang kupas sa kanyang pagmamahal sa mahihirap (He hasn’t changed and his love for the poor hasn’t waned),” Cortez said.

After Paco, Estrada proceeded to Baseco, Vitas and Smokey Mountain in Manila to give out more groceries. Jeannette I. Andrade, Nancy C. Carvajal and Helen Hoddinott