Senator Grace Poe and President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
“Iyan ang ‘sa tamang panahon.'”
That was how President Benigno S. Aquino III described Senator Grace Poe when asked to match a “hashtag” during a game at the Meet Inquirer Multimedia forum on Monday.
The neophyte senator, who has topped recent survey on preferred presidential candidates, is seen to be running against Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas.
For outgoing Interior Secretary Roxas, Aquino chose #inspiring.
Backed by Aquino, Roxas is wooing Poe to be his running mate for 2016.
But the lady senator has not yet responded on Roxas’ invitation and went on a series of meeting with Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) stalwarts.
NPC stalwarts has reportedly expressed support for Poe and Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero should they decide to run as tandem in 2016.
Ask on why he anointed Roxas as his successor and not Poe, Aquino said Roxas is definitely more experienced.
“Yung mahaba-habang service ni Mar. Is she as prepared as Mar?” Aquino said.
READ: Aquino: LP not giving up on Poe until filing of candidacy
Believing that Poe is a fellow navigator of “daang matuwid,” the president said the LP is not giving up the lady senator yet.
“Until the end of filing of candidacy period, I don’t think we’re giving up. Iba pa rin ‘yung united,” he said.
Love pa more
President Aquino chose to give more love for an embattled member of his cabinet.
For Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who perhaps needs some love after being the center of a recent mass protest action, Aquino chose #LovePaMore.
About 20,000 members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo trooped to Edsa after attempting to confine De Lima at the Department of Justice compound in Manila in late August to pressure her to drop the serious illegal detention and grave coercion complaints filed against some members of the Sanggunian, the church’s highest administrative council.
READ: INC: No birthday gift, 2016 support for De Lima
Meanwhile, Vice President Jejomar Binay who defected from the Aquino Cabinet ahead of the 2016 elections received #EdiWow from the Chief Executive.
In his final State of the Nation Address, Aquino alluded to Binay’s attacks against the Aquino administration.
“Siyempre po, kahit kaliwa’t kanan na ang ebidensiya ng pagbabago, mayroon pa ring kontra sa Daang Matuwid. Ang hirit nila: Mabagal daw tayo. Kapag sila raw ang naging Pangulo, sigurado, gaganda ang buhay. Sa mga medyo may-edad po, ang isasagot dito, “Ah, ganun?” sabay taas ng kilay. Para naman sa kabataan, ang sagot natin sa ganoong pahayag: E di wow,” Aquino said.
Lots of love
Asked what would best describe him, Aquino picked #LOL, drawing laughter from the audience, most of whom were Inquirer reporters, columnists and editors.
LOL is an Internet slang for “laugh out loud.”
But Aquino wondered: “’Di ba that means lots of love?”
Unknown to many, the President has a dog named “Apollo.” He picked #beautiful for the four-month old German Shepherd.
#MoveOn was Aquino’s choice, not for his love life, but for the traffic problems of Metro Manila?
“Nasaan ba ‘yung may solusyon diyan? he asked.
“Closest na siguro ang #moveon.”
On Monday, the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) under the wing of the Philippine National Police (PNP) took over the traffic management on Edsa.
The move received both positive and negative reactions from motorists and commuters online.
Aquino on sent a text message Tuesday to PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez commending HPG for a job “well done.”
But it seems like there’s no movement in the love life of the bachelor president.
The first single president of the country picked #Blessed on the matters of the heart.
“If you are blessed, you will have it,” he said. Anthony Q. Esguerra