Aquino hits 2016 rivals, previous administration

MANILA, Philippines — A day after Vice President Jejomar Binay topped the latest survey of possible presidential candidates, President Benigno Aquino III asked voters to choose their leaders wisely.

“Ang pakiusap ko po kung naniniwala kayo na tama ang ating ginagawa, kung ayaw nyong mabalewala ang maganda nating nasimulan, piliin natin ang mga susunod na pinunong magpapatuloy at higit pang magpapayabong sa ating mga naipunlang reporma,” Aquino said in his Labor Day speech at a manufacturing compound in Laguna.

(My appeal is that if you believe that what we are doing is right, and you don’t want to waste what we have already achieved, choose leaders who will continue and further improve the reforms we have started.)

He gave the statement after thanking the people of Laguna for making him their number one pick during the 2010 presidential elections.

Aquino is believed to be grooming Liberal Party president and Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II as his successor Roxas and Binay are expected to face head-on during the 2016 polls.

“Piliin natin ang karapat-dapat upang maging permanent ang malawakang transpormasyong tinatamasa na ng ating lipunan,” the President added.

(Let us choose those who are worthy so that the transformation experienced by our society will become permanent.)

Aquino also took a swipe at the previous administration after boasting of the successes of the manufacturing sector under his watch.

“Kung tutuusin nga po, pwedeng noon pa man ay nagawa na ang mga pagbabagong ito sa ating bansa. Subalit dahil sa mga pinunong inuna o inuuna ang pansariling interes, matagal tayong nasadlak sa malubhang kahirapan at katiwalian,” he said.

(The change we are experiencing now could have been achieved in the past. But there were leaders who tended to their personal interests, resulting in extreme poverty and corruption.)

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