TACLOBAN CITY—Presidential candidate Jejomar Binay says his administration will be a “healing and unifying” one following the various allegations being hurled against him.
In a press briefing on Wednesday shortly after his campaign sorties in Leyte province and Tacloban City, Binay apologized to reporters for making them wait for about seven hours, citing his hectic schedule.
“We don’t have an ounce of bitterness,” Binay said, adding there was a need for unity in the country “for the cause of the people.”
“Ours is a platform of unity. Let’s work together,” said Binay who was accompanied by outgoing Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez and her wife Cristina, who is a candidate for mayor in the city.
Binay then reiterated his earlier stand that he will allow the burial of the remains of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in his birthplace in Batac, Ilocos Norte, “with full military honors.”
“It cannot be denied that Marcos became a president and commander in chief. Let’s bury him with full military honors,” he said.
He chided the Aquino administration for its underspending which, he said, delayed the delivery of government services to the people.
“Why do we have underspending, why do we keep on saving?” Binay said.
“The job of the government is to collect taxes and spend it. For every delay, for every underspending there is under-service.”
Binay said the underspending in the Aquino administration had affected the fast delivery of health, education and other social services to the public.
He said he will push for the further modernization of the agriculture sector and support for local government units once elected.
“If the barangays and local government units are progressive, the country will be progressive,” he said.
“Our agriculture is very challenging. It hardly contributes to the country’s gross domestic product.”
Romualdez aired his views on the issue of a comic book purportedly showing former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II as a “hero” during the height of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in November 2013 that left more than 6,000 dead and mostly in Tacloban City.
“I don’t read comics, but I have heard nothing good about it. It was very fictional. It was not factual. There was no basis,” Romualdez said.
“I don’t want to relive that horrible experience again and bringing out the issues that are uncalled for. Many people will get hurt. This should not be taken lightly. It’s the learning that is what we should be proud about.”
