Interior Secretary Mar Roxas remains coy on his presidential run and his choice of a running mate, but stressed that a leader who will continue the programs and policies of the Aquino administration is what the country needs to become more progressive.
Roxas, the presumptive standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party, said that in the last five years the country had made significant gains under President Aquino鈥檚 administration, which he called the 鈥渇irst phase鈥� in attaining progress.
鈥淲e want to have Phase 2, Phase 3 [because] it takes a generation to move our country forward,鈥� Roxas said on Friday at the sidelines of the opening of the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) in Pasay City where he was the guest speaker.
Roxas appeared to be in high spirits during the event, prompting media members to ask him if President Aquino already gave him his endorsement.
鈥淸I鈥檓] happy because we鈥檙e at the NSTW, where all the technologies and applications [showcased here] are made by Filipinos,鈥� said Roxas, who was mobbed by students wanting to take a selfie with the secretary.
When asked if he has already chosen a running mate, Roxas maintained that there鈥檚 a step-by-step process.
鈥淟et鈥檚 not get ahead of ourselves,鈥� he said.
Roxas currently ranks third and fourth in the recent polls for presidential candidates. He is behind front-runner Sen. Grace Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
With only three months left before the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, Roxas, without naming names, took a swipe at candidates who want to bring the country 鈥渢o another direction,鈥� as he asked the public of what it wants for the country鈥檚 future.
鈥淸Next year鈥檚 elections] isn鈥檛 about personalities. The candidate here is the 鈥榙aang matuwid鈥� (straight path). Do we want to sustain the goodness and progress we are experiencing now? Do we want to take a U-turn or continue on the straight path, where the interest of the country is of utmost concern,鈥� Roxas said.
He, however, maintained that he was not saying that the administration was perfect. 鈥淏ut, I believe our countrymen can say that we had gone a long way. We already have the momentum and we can fast forward this to the progress we have always wanted,鈥� he said.
On Tuesday, the Inquirer reported that the Nationalist People鈥檚 Alliance (NPC) and Nacionalista Party were forming a tactical alliance to support the possible run for Malaca帽ang of Senators Poe and Francis Escudero. The two parties, who form part of the administration coalition, has since denied such an agreement.
Roxas also revealed that he talked on Thursday to Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza, NPC鈥檚 secretary general, who stressed that 鈥渢he coalition between the NPC and Liberal Party remains.鈥�