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‘Noynoy’ poised to run for president

September 2nd, 2009    147 views 

MANILA – The son of the Philippines’ democracy icon Corazon Aquino on Tuesday moved one step closer to running for president when his main rival for their party’s nomination stepped aside.

Liberal Party chief Senator Mar Roxas withdrew his candidacy for next year’s presidential campaign so that Senator Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III could run.

“Noynoy has made it clear to me that he wants to carry the torch of leadership,” Roxas, 52, told a crowd of Liberal Party supporters at the Club Filipino in San Juan, as he abandoned his presidential ambitions.

“Today, I am announcing my support for the candidacy of Noynoy as the candidate for 2010,” he said.

“Noy has made it clear to me that he wants to carry the torch of leadership. The passing of our beloved former President Aquino has reawakened a passion among us. I acknowledge this as fuel to bring us to the realization of our dream: Good will triumph over evil,” he said in his speech.

“Ito na ang pinakamabigat na desisyon sa buhay ko. Maniwala man kayo o hindi, ginagawa ko ito para sa bayan, para sa inyo. I do this for unity in support of change. And if that means that somebody must make the sacrifice, it must be me. Ako na,” Roxas said.

Among those present were LP chairman emeritus and former Senate President Jovito Salonga, former Education Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, and Aquino.

“Country above self. Bayan bago sarili,” he said at the beginning of his speech.

Roxas said that he and Aquino share the same “outrage over the mess we are all in, the same way we share the solution–clean, honest, selfless public service.”

“Noynoy and I want to make a difference, but we also know that we need to unite to achieve what we want,” he said.

“Over the weekend, Noynoy and I had many long conversations… Masinsinang usapan. We agreed: Let us forget about ourselves for a moment. This is not about us, this is about our people and our country. This is about our common dream. The dream of our parents. But let us not remain a country of dreamers. Tama na ang pangarap. Gawin na natin, ngayon,” Roxas said.

Source : http://abs-cbnnews.com

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