Poe: Next president must be able to inspire people

A president must not only have good plans for the country, but must also be able to inspire people to be able to carry out these programs, Sen. Grace Poe said on Friday.

In an interview over the ABS-CBN News Channel, Poe said the country’s economy would be safe under her.

She said she had been getting briefings from top economists and business experts, including Ramon del Rosario, Cielito Habito and Romy Bernardo.

“But it’s also important to realize that the president that will implement these economic policies actually has the mandate and should have the capability to inspire people, because you can have the best policies, but if you cannot communicate it to the people, they may not be able to rally behind you,” she said.

And she believes she can move people to back her programs.

“I feel that I think I can be able to do that,” she said.

She noted that when she headed the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, she was able to work with people with diverse backgrounds.

In the Senate, she said she presided over hearings where everybody had their own political agenda and was able to keep the peace and the pace of the proceedings.

Unifying president

Poe also said she would be a unifying president, and she has proven this. She said she could work with anybody regardless of political background.

She added that under her presidency, there would be an economic environment conducive to investments.

To achieve this, Poe said the Constitution should be amended to ease foreign ownership restrictions to attract foreign investors and create more jobs. Filipinos would also benefit from technology transfer with the influx of foreign firms.

But she would not allow foreigners to own land. She does not want Filipinos to wake up one day and realize they are living in a country no longer largely owned by its citizens.

Poe also said citizens who are happy with the way things are right now don’t have to vote for her. Neither do those who want to take back the country to 30 to 40 years ago, when people’s freedoms were curtailed.

“But if you feel our country deserves better, if you feel our country can be on equal footing with the more developed nations in Asia, then perhaps you might consider me,” she said.

She believes she has the best platform to achieve this.

“I will create the right economic environment for this and certainly I think I have the temperament, the energy, and maybe the moral ground to stand on to be able to be able to rally the country,” she said.