Angara: FPJ not automatically opposition bet in 2004

Action star Fernando Poe Jr. will not automatically be the united opposition’s standard-bearer once he declares his bid for the presidency in the 2004 elections, opposition Sen. Edgardo Angara said yesterday.

"He is not automatically the standard-bearer of the united opposition. He has to submit himself to the process" of selection, just like opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson and other presidential aspirants, Angara said.

The procedure for selecting the united opposition’s standard-bearer is currently being prepared by party officials, he added.

Angara said Poe’s clean image as an actor with trustworthiness, leadership, integrity and charisma can be an edge over other presidential aspirants such as Lacson and Senators Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Gregorio Honasan, among others.

Filipinos "are looking for a new face, (a) leader who is trustworthy, honest and with integrity. I think Mr. Poe has all these qualities. The next leader after the 2004 elections will preside in a disaster area because of skyrocketing debt, increasing budget deficit. We have one of the most corrupt areas," he said.

Angara said the apprehension of some groups opposed to Poe’s joining the presidential derby because of his lack of experience in governance "can be easily made up through the appointment of well-educated and good Cabinet members."

"Lack of experience in governance is not a complete basis for one candidate not to seek election. The so-called capability can be made up by the people who will help you," he said.

Angara cited that in the United States, former actor Ronald Reagan became president and proved himself a very effective leader of the most powerful country in the world.

"As long as you have leadership and trustworthiness, people and even foreign investors will follow you," he said.

Angara added that Poe’s rating in the surveys on presidential aspirants will rise once he declares his candidacy in early November.

Businessman Raul Concepcion, an officer of the Makati Business Club (MBC) said Poe’s lack of "experience in governance" will place the country in a very risky situation.

He said what is particularly at risk is the country’s economy, which is not improving under the Arroyo administration and made worse by the regional crisis hounding third world countries.

Concepcion said Poe should thoroughly and very carefully study his options "because he might just be used by some politicians with vested interests."

"He must first study whether he is capable of solving the problems of our country at present, brought about by various incidents that have happened. If he thinks he can, then that is the time for him to decide," he said.

Concepcion clarified earlier reports that the MBC cited Poe’s scheduled decision to declare his presidential candidacy last Thursday as the cause of the peso’s negative performance against the dollar.

"It is not true that the scheduled announcement of Poe caused the downfall of the peso against the dollar. It’s not accurate. What we said was that the Jemaah Islamiyah’s presence in Mindanao is the cause why the peso dropped tremendously and it’s not because of FPJ," he said.

Concepcion, however, maintained that the next president should be someone with long experience in governance and with economic knowledge because he will deal with foreign investors to improve the country’s economy.

"Foreign investment and joint ventures should be the thing to deal with. It will be a setback if the next president of the land will have to study how to govern during his first two years in office. The Philippines is so small already. We cannot afford to have foreign investors (adopt) a wait-and-see attitude before they will invest," he said.

Concepcion said Poe cannot be compared to Reagan because the latter served as California governor before being elected to the presidency.

"Poe has no experience. Running a corporation is different from running a government with complex problems. Constitutional assembly is the answer to this," he said.

Deputy Speaker for the Visayas Raul Gonzalez said that unlike Poe’s friend, deposed President Joseph Estrada — who served as mayor, senator, and vice president before being elected president — Poe has never been a public official.

"He could have honesty and integrity, but you are talking here of governance of 80 million people. You need something more than charisma. I have a driver who has the charisma and competence, but I will not allow him to manage a corporation," Gonzalez said.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye told Poe and other presidential aspirants that they should make sure they have at least one year and a half worth of experience in governance.