Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
LUCENA CITY, Philippines — Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday courted the elderly in Quezon province by regaling them with stories of how Makati City has been pampering its senior citizens with freebies and other benefits.
Binay, a presidential aspirant, narrated how the senior citizens in Makati, where he served as mayor for several terms, had long been receiving such freebies as movie passes and birthday cakes aside from getting free hospitalization and cash gifts that made it a model for other local government units in the country.
“Kayo ang pundasyon ng bansa na naglaaan at nag-alay ng lakas at talino upang magabayan ang bagong henerasyon (You are the foundation of this country who have offered your strength and wisdom to guide the new generation),” said Bnay, himself a senior citizen at age 71.
Binay boasted that every living centenarian in Makati received P100,000 cash gift on the elderly’s 100th birthday.
He said his son, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, also planned to give the equivalent cash gift to every senior citizen celebrating his 90th birthday.
Binay, who was appointed in 1986 by then President Corazon Aquino as Makati City officer-in-charge, was consistently reelected as mayor until 1998 and served again from 2001 to 2010.
The Vice President was in Lucena as guest of honor during the provincial senior citizens’ week celebration at the Quezon Convention Center.
Binay was welcomed by Quezon Gov. David Suarez, former House Minority leader Danilo Suarez, provincial officials and employees and his fraternity brothers from Alpha Phi Omega (Apo).
During the event, the Vice President also crowned the winners in the selection of the most beautiful grandmother and debonair grandfather.
Binay was mobbed by fellow elderly, all wanting to have a photo with him.
After the event, Binay met with local Apo members and received their manifestation of support, amid allegations that he had amassed unexplained wealth.
The Senate blue ribbon subcommittee, led by Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, Antonio Trillanes IV and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, is investigating allegations of corruption against Binay. These include the alleged overpricing of the P2.28-billion Makati City Hall Building II, pocketing of kickbacks from municipal infrastructure projects when the elder Binay was mayor and the use of dummies to conceal his ownership of real estate properties in Makati and Rosario town in Batangas province.
Binay and his family have vehemently denied the accusations.
RELATED STORIES
UNA readies Binay’s political ad for TV