"We must develop zero tolerance for corruption," Roco said at the launch of the advocacy group Magtagumpay!, which is allied with other reform-oriented movements that support Roco’s bid for the presidency.
Roco, who has consistently led in surveys of presidential candidates preferred by the public, said that when he was education secretary, he was able to lower the price of textbooks by ensuring the integrity of the bidding process.
By removing corruption in the procurement process, the Department of Education was able to purchase more textbooks at P21 each, instead of the previous purchase price of P60, Roco said.
Duplicating this move, according to Roco, could improve the lives of Filipinos.
"The Filipino is good. Wherever he goes, he is valued as a worker, as an honest and God-fearing citizen who loves his family and is willing to sacrifice himself for his loved ones," he said.
Roco noted that Filipinos are faced with one crisis after another because "our leaders have failed the Filipino by allowing corruption to steal the fruits of their labors from their mouths. This is why we need to stamp out corruption at all levels. And we will start from the top."
"The Filipino people are fed up. They want change — real change. And real change must start at the top," he told Magtagumpay! volunteers and members. — Rainier Allan Ronda