President Benigno Aquino III believes that the early foray into politics by aspirants would give electorates ample time to learn more about the candidates. VIDEO BY INQUIRER.net’s RYAN LEAGOGO
MANILA, Philippines – Enough time to scrutinize presidential candidates is one way to look at the early pronouncements of election hopefuls. At least that’s what President Benigno Aquino III believes.
“Mabibigyan ang ating mga mamamayan ng pagkakataon na talagang masuri, ‘yung salang-sala ang pagpipili nila, so palagay ko makakatulong rin ‘yon,” Aquino said Wednesday during an ambush interview at the sidelines of The Pinoy Music Summit in Manila.
(Our citizens will be given an opportunity to truly scrutinize, sift through their choices, so I think that will help.)
President Benigno Aquino III. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net
The President said that the early “political jockeying” would give electorates ample time to learn more about the candidates.
Possible contenders for the posts of president and vice president have been signifying their intent or interest to run, more than two years before the 2016 elections.
Aquino, however, declined to name his pick, saying that he will announce who he wants to replace him as president “at the appropriate time.”
He insisted that he wanted to focus on the country’s problems instead of the 2016 elections.
“Nasa umpisa pa lang tayo na bahagi ng 2014 at palagay ko naman maiintindihan nila kung ang priority natin—palapit na ang rainy season, palapit na rin ang mga typhoon—manigurado tayong handa ‘yung mga komunidad natin bago ‘yung mga ‘yon,” he said.
(We are just at the start of 2014 and I think they will understand that our priority – especially with the upcoming rainy season and typhoons – is to ensure that our communities are ready.)
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