ANGELES, Pampanga—“I am not an OJT (on-the-job trainee).”
This was how presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe shot back at Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday when the latter reportedly called her again an OJT, noting how she answered the issue on the West Philippine Sea during the second presidential debate in Cebu last March 20.
“Yan ang problema pag nagmamaliit ng mga OJT. Marami naman tayong mga OJT pero hindi naman ako OJT sapagkat matagal na rin ako kahit papano…” she said when sought for comment on Binay’s remarks.
(That’s the problem when some are underestimating those undergoing OJT. We have a lot of OJT but I’m not one of them because I have been serving the public for quite a long time.)
“Wala sa haba yan kung hindi sa kalidad ng paninilbihan,” she added.
(It’s not about the length but more of the quality of service.)
During the debate, Poe’s rival Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte asked her what she would do if she was awakened in the middle of the night by news that two of the country’s Coast Guard cutters were bombed by China.
“Ang kailangan nating gawin ay, siyempre, ang presidente kailangan bumangon agad at kasama…Hindi ba? Hindi naman pwedeng mamaya na ‘yan, mamaya nang alas-singko, mamayang alas-sais,” Poe said, responding to Duterte.
(Of course, I would get out of bed. This matter should not be put off. The president could not say, “I will attend to it later at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m.”)
“Mabilis na babangon ang presidente, at itatawag ang head ng AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) at ang head ng DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) sapagkat nandiyan napapailalim ang Coast Guard. Kaya nga napakahina at napakabulok—pasensya na po. Kaya nga po dapat mag-uusap kung paano gagawin,” she added.
(The president will get out of bed immediately and call the heads of AFP and DOTC because the Coast Guard is under these departments. Forgive me for saying this, but our defense system is very weak and inferior. That’s why it would be important for all the personnel involved to communicate on how to address the matter.)
Explaining her answer to Duterte’s question, Poe said a debate usually starts with banters.
“E natural pag sinabi sayo ‘sa gitna ng gabi anong gagawin mo,’ e natural kelangan ay alisto ka. Pangalawa, kailangan din kausapin mo yung head ng military. Kung meron na tayong National Security Council, kailangan i-convene kaagad, yan nga ang ating gagawin sa first 100 days,” she said during the Pampanga interview.
(Of course when someone says “what would you do in the middle of the night,” you should be alert. Second, you should speak to the military head. If we already have the National Security Council, it should be convened immediately and that’s what I would address in my first 100 days [if I become the president].)
“Pero kasama na rin diyan ang prevention. Siyempre, hindi naman magkakagulo ng ganito kung patuloy ang maayos na pag-uusap natin sa ibang mga komunidad sa buong mundo. Pero kailangan din natin palakasin ang ating military dahil hindi naman tayo puwedeng basta-basta umasa lang sa iba,” Poe added.
(But prevention is included there as well. Of course, there would be no rift if there are continuous diplomatic relations with other countries involved. But we have to strengthen our military because we could not just rely on the assistance of other countries.) RAM
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