Rejoinder to Kris on 2016 race

I am about Kris’ age and like her, I am a parent. And what I want most in this world is for my children and their children to have a country and government they can be proud of. That is why I was deeply bothered after reading Blanche David-Gallardo’s article (Front Page, 8/31/14). In that informal interview, Kris said she is supporting Jejomar Binay’s presidential bid because he has always been there for her and her family. But the 2016 presidential election is not just about her and the Aquino clan. It is about the wellbeing and dignity of present and future generations of Filipinos. It is about the country moving forward after a succession of corrupt and incompetent regimes that have destroyed the moral fiber of our society, from top to bottom.

The Filipino people deserve an honest and incorruptible president who will not betray us and who will ensure that each centavo paid by the taxpayers will be spent wisely for the benefit of the people and not just for the benefit of the few in power. We deserve a president who is not tainted with the stigma of corruption, who is not associated with politicians facing plunder and graft charges and who does not resort to mudslinging when asked about the billions of pesos that he spent on his projects.

We deserve a president who can tell the people and his political foes: “Here are my income tax returns, my pay slips and my bank account records. I dare you to scrutinize them. You will see that all my properties and wealth, and those of my family, are commensurate to the income that I earned.”

We need a president who can easily prove his critics wrong and say, “I dare you to

inspect the P2.7-billion building in Makati built during my term as mayor. Bring civil

engineers and building experts along so that I can prove to the entire nation that this building is worth every centavo spent on it and that I did not benefit financially from its construction.”

We need a president who can say to the people, “I never cheated on my wife and I will see to it that you are not cheated out of your votes by giving you an honest and hardworking government.”

May I remind Kris that her brother was elected because the people believed in his honesty. But Binay is very different from her brother. He may be popular among many Filipinos but that is not an indication that honesty is one of his virtues; it is just an indication that many Filipinos are easily swayed by glib and sweet-talking politicians.

May I also remind Kris that she is a very well-known celebrity and many Filipinos

admire her, that they listen to her, that this is her time to shine.

Kris, prove your critics wrong. Show them that you are more than just a celebrity, that there is substance beneath all that perceived shallowness and that you have the welfare of the country in your heart and mind. Rise to the occasion, and uphold your father’s legacy. Yes, you are entitled to your own choices. But the Filipinos are entitled to a better future.

—ROMMEL FAJARDO,

rommelfajardo27@yahoo.com