Roxas admits road to Palace ‘an uphill battle’

“I know that some of you will have apprehensions… Our fight will not be easy. It is an uphill battle,” Interior Secretary Mar Roxas admitted in his 25-minute speech before 1,500 Liberal Party members and supporters in Greenhills, San Juan City.

“In all sincerity and humility, I come to you and ask for your support. For me, it’s important that we’re together in fighting this battle.”

Apparently buoyed by the big crowd and festive mood inside the hall, the outgoing Interior Secretary was visibly animated when he arrived with President Aquino and several other Cabinet secretaries at past noon.

As if rallying his troops to a battle, Roxas told his supporters: “I have absolutely no doubt that this is a fight worth fighting. With your help and the help of our bosses (the Filipino people), I have no doubt that we can win the ‘straight path’ (advocacy).”

Addressing criticisms

For the first time, Roxas directly addressed the criticisms and allegations thrown at him, including the perception that he was snobbish and an elitist.

He also spoke about the concerns of some pro-Aquino supporters who had raised doubts regarding his “winnability.”

“Our numbers [in the surveys] are still down. We cannot avoid that some will weigh in on this and make their own calculations. Some would think that [the other] candidate would be able to help them in the future,” he said.

“Some would think that Mar Roxas might lose. These are all uncertainties. But there’s one thing we’re sure of. We’re on the right [track] and we will continue to be better for our country,” he said.

Roxas said winning was not about him or the President, but it would be “about all of us being a part of something bigger than each and every one of us.”

“This is about 100 million (Filipinos) counting on us to give them good leadership and a good future. Going forward, there’s no limitation in what we could achieve if the good leaders of our country and the people would come together,” he said.

Forgiveness

To dispel the impression that he was a snob, Roxas vowed that the public would know him better in the coming months by visiting the communities across the country.

He also asked for forgiveness if his actions in the past led to that perception.

“They say I’m snobbish. That’s OK. You can smile,” he said. “They say I’m an elitist and sometimes I pretend to be better than others or I come on too strong. I’m sorry if I gave you reasons to think that way.”

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