Press Release
April 21, 2010

Villar to voters: Choose new president with competence

Less than three weeks before the May 10 elections, Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manny Villar yesterday urged the 45 million Filipino voters to stop using popularity and emotions as the basis in choosing their new president.

Villar said the people should remember that the country plunged into deep political and economic turmoil when the electorate in the late '80s and late '90s picked presidents out of sympathy and popularity.

"In the end, the issue here is if we really want to move on, the country's next president should have leadership and competence," Villar said.

The next chief executive must possess such qualities to be able to address the country's problems from Day One onwards, he stressed.

Villar had emphasized his extensive experience in business and politics. His track record speaks well of these qualities: first as House Speaker and then Senate President. He got the highest satisfaction and trust ratings during his stint as leader of both chambers.

According to him, formulating platforms and national policies is easy, but a president should demonstrate his capability to do what he will commit to do and to be able to implement strategies.

"These criteria have been tested everywhere. To me, 'di naman masamang accomplishments 'yan. After all, ako lang ang nakagawa n'yan," said Villar.

According to Villar, many have appreciated his self-funded campaign that emphasized the NP's vision of improving the lives of Filipinos.

He said that many people even said that he is the first nationally known political figure to run for the presidency entirely on his own money. Thus, he is financially beholden to no one.

Villar also allayed fears that his alliance with various political groups with contradicting interests would undermine his leadership.

He said he had been firm on being independent, financial or otherwise. He added that it is why he persevered in growing his business so that he does not have to pay financial debts of gratitude with political favors or anything.

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