Roxas sees ratings rise with local campaign

Former Secretary Mar Roxas at the first presidential debate in Capitol University, in Cagayan de Oro City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines—Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas yesterday expressed optimism that the start of the campaign period for local elections on March 25 would boost his chances of succeeding President Aquino.

More than two months before millions of voters troop to polling precincts to vote, Roxas kicked off his two-day campaign in Cebu, the country’s most vote-rich province.

Cebu gave Roxas the largest winning margin over Vice President Jejomar Binay in their fight for the vice presidency in the 2010 elections, trumping his arch nemesis by almost 500,000 votes.

However, Roxas played down his overwhelming victory in the province in 2010.

“It’s not right for us to be overconfident,” Roxas told reporters after visiting a shipyard manned by Filipino shipbuilders.

“But I have faith in the people that they know the difference between the candidates. They know that they want a clean and honest leader who will not steal from them,” he said.

Roxas, a former interior secretary, was  unfazed by reports that some incumbent elected officials allied with the administration had started to jump to other parties.

He said it was actually better for those  officials to leave the LP “because that only means they really do not believe in the cause that we are pursuing.”

‘True  colors’

“This fight is not easy. Our fight is for  righteous and honest governance. Those who are defecting, maybe they still want the old crooked ways,” he said. “It’s also better because they showed their true colors.”

“It’s not easy to stay on the right path. It’s more convenient if we just connive with each other. But that’s not the way to economic progress,” he added. “It’s not the way to create jobs.”

Asked if he would seek the support of influential political dynasties, Roxas said he would rather woo the voters who would be the ultimate judge on who would occupy Malacañang.

“It’s their decision. Who are they going to trust? To whom will they entrust the future of their children? Every Filipino family will make that decision,” he said.

The Garcias of Cebu, who had ruled the capitol before incumbent Gov. Hilario Davide III won in 2010, are openly backing Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance.

The Duranos, on the other hand, have chosen to support Sen. Grace Poe.

Asked if the LP was relying solely on the support of the Davide clan in Cebu, Roxas said: “Regarding the big political clans, we just let them be. For me, I enjoy the support of the Filipino people.”

Instead of wasting his time talking to political turncoats, Roxas said he would rather use every opportunity to explain his agenda to the people.