President Aquino Urges Candidates for 2016 Elections Not to Make Extravagant Promises

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday called on politicians not to promise the sky, the moon and the stars as they seek public office in next year’s elections, out of respect for the Filipino voters.

The Chief Executive made the appeal in response to Senator Grace Poe’s presidential bid, which poses a challenge to the candidacies of Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay.

As the administration’s presidential bet, Roxas is the one expected to pick up from where President Aquino’s ‘Daang Matuwid’ leaves off in 2016, while Poe and Binay are promising to make things even better for the country.

“Kung mapapaganda pa nila ang nagawa natin, sino naman ang magagalit doon? Siguro ang susunod na tanong diyan: ‘Ano ba ang gagawin ninyo na mas mahigitan pa ‘yung ginagawa na namin ngayon?'” he told reporters during a press conference in Malacañang Palace.

“Ang importante sa atin huwag tayong bumalik sa kung saan tayo nanggaling. Huwag naman sanang lumabas na itong limang taon na ito ay, kumbaga, nagkaroon lang tayo ng intermission, tapos babalik sa katotohanan na pangit. Dito na tayo, pagandahin natin ‘yung magandang nangyayari na sa atin.”

President Aquino, however, called on candidates to refrain from making extravagant promises during the campaign period, especially when they know they cannot follow them through.

“Huwag nating ipangako ‘yung langit, at saka mga estrella, at saka ‘yung buwan, kung hindi naman natin talaga kayang abutin ‘yon,” he told reporters, emphasizing the importance of being earnest.

“Galangin natin ang mga taong pinagmumulan ng kapangyarihan, nagbibigay ng mandato, ang ating mga boss, (at) ibigay sa kanila ang katotohanan,” the President said.

President Aquino has vowed to actively support the candidacy of Sec. Roxas but he has also acknowledged that it is the Filipino voters who will decide who his rightful successor would be.

“Ang taumbayan ang magdedesisyon sa tamang oras kung sino ba talaga ang magpapatuloy ang ating pagtahak dito sa ‘Daang Matuwid,’” the President said.

The campaign period for next year’s elections officially starts on February 9, 2016, according to the Commission on Elections calendar. PND (hdc)