Mar Roxas unleashes jokes during mayors’ event in Davao City

Video by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

DAVAO CITY—It was a day full of jokes for Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

Roxas unleashed on Friday a collection of his pick-up lines before the mayors of vote-rich Mindanao during a League of Municipalities of the Philippines conference in Davao City.

Before his event in Mindanao, the secretary joked on a possible “Mar-Garin” team up with Health Secretary Janette Garin when he was a guest speaker at the National Health Summit in Marriott Hotel, Pasay City.

“With all the speculations on who would be my running mate? You know if you think about Janette Garin, it will be ‘Mar-Garin.’ Healthier than butter, less cholesterol than butter,” said Roxas, eliciting laughter and applause from the audience.

Asked about the probability of a “Mar-Garin” tandem, Roxas kidded again and said: “Maganda ito dahil bawas sa cholesterol,” referring to margarine, a spread made from vegetable oils.

But Roxas quickly took back his answer and said: “But seriously, I think Secretary Janette wants to continue serving in the health sector.  We’re both from Panay Island and we both belong to the Liberal Party. I acknowledge her skills and experience.”

In Davao City, Roxas delivered pick-up lines at Grand Regal Hotel before bading farewell to the mayors as this might be the last time he would grace an LMP event as the Department of Interior and Local Government secretary.

“Noong papunta ako dito naisip ko, itong LMP, Byernes ngayon, bukas Sabado. Naisip ko sana ang LMP ay Sabado at ako naman ang Linggo. Bakit? Dahil ako ang kinabukasan ng LMP,” he said.

Roxas followed it up with another joke. “Naisip ko rin na ang LMP sana ay isang gitara. Bakit? Para habang kumakanta ako ay yakap yakap ko kayo,” he said, this time drawing more claps from the mayors.

“Panghuli, papunta rito naisip ko ito na ang panghuling beses na pupunta ako sa LMP. Sana yung LMP ay parang airport at ako ang eroplano. Bakit? Para kahit saan man ako mapadpad, ang landingan ko sa LMP,” a laughing Roxas said.

Roxas then apologized in jest for his jokes, which he said he used to tell his wife Korina Sanchez.

“Ipagpaumanhin niyo na po. Itong mga linya ito ginamit ko ito kay Korina pero hindi pumasa. Binatukan niya lang po ako,” the aspiring president quipped.

But toward the end of his speech, the Liberal Party standard-bearer again invoked the “daang matuwid (straight path),” the program started by President Benigno Aquino III which Roxas intended to continue should he be elected in 2016.

Speaking to the mayors, Roxas warned those who would “take a U-turn” from the straight path.

“Inaasahan ko po na patuloy tayong magtutulungan. Inaasahan ko po na patuloy nating ipaglalaban ang daang matuwid,” he said. Julliane Love de Jesus/RC

RELATED VIDEO