Roxas has Plans B to F if Poe will decline his offer

If Sen. Grace Poe will reject Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II’s offer to run with him in 2016, he doesn’t only have a “Plan B.”

“[There are Plans] C, D, E and F” if Poe would not team up with Roxas and the ruling Liberal Party for the vice presidential post in the national elections, the secretary told reporters in an ambush interview on Thursday.

But Roxas declined to name who were the party’s other choices. “Why would I tell you?” said Roxas in jest.

Asked how long was he willing to wait for Poe, Roxas said they had until October to wait for her decision. “The right time will come. Hindi pwedeng madaliin ‘yan,” he said.

Apart from Poe, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos have also cropped up as potential running mates for Roxas.

Roxas on Wednesday invited the neophyte senator, who had been consistently ranking high in presidential surveys, during a television guesting to join him in the administration ticket.

Although she said she was ready to meet with Roxas, Poe said she had until October to decide whether she would run for higher office.

Asked if they set a deadline for the announcement of the party’s candidate for the vice presidency, Roxas said there was none and added that media should not report “play by play” the events transpiring between him and Poe.

He said maintaining the competitiveness of the country’s education system was more worth discussing than the setting of his meetings with the senator.

“Iyan ang mahahalagang usapin hindi itong play by play o kung sino ang kinausap kailan, kape ba or meryenda or dinner. Ang mahalaga dito kung napakaganda ng tayo ng ating bansa sa pandaigdigang paligsahan at paano natin ito pananatilihin,” Roxas said.

But even without a sure running mate in the elections, Roxas said planning for government programs would still continue.

“The programs of the government are greater than any other person. If anyone wants to put emphasis, add, modify, edit or refine government programs, there’s no perfect plan. There is only one perfect document—the Ten Commandments,” he said. RC