4 ex-Cabinet men declare support for Noynoy, Mar

MANILA, Philippines – Four former Cabinet officials of the Aquino, Ramos, and Arroyo administrations who now belong to a newly organized group called the Mabuting Pilipino Movement officially declared their support yesterday for the Aquino-Roxas tandem in the 2010 presidential elections.

Former interior secretary Cesar Sarino said he and his group which includes former transportation secretary Pete Prado, former finance secretary Bobby de Ocampo, and former defense secretary Avelino “Nonong” Cruz, are now preparing the next steps to campaign for Sen. Noynoy Aquino and Sen. Mar Roxas.

He said the Mabuting Pilipino Movement, which also has other private individuals and businessmen as convenors, is now formally introducing Aquino and Roxas to the Filipino public as new leaders who represent change.

“We were reluctant to get into politics because it was more of the same (people),” Sarino told The STAR at the movement’s launch yesterday.

But the tandem of Aquino and Roxas has given them a chance to go for a new kind of government.

De Ocampo said they would tell the voters what Aquino and Roxas really mean for the future of the country.

“Kailangan masabi sa mga Pilipino what Noynoy-Mar means for the future of the Philippines. The country, after 10 years, is looking for direction that would first of all represent change,” he said.

He said there has to be an “optimistic outlook for our children and our children’s children” which the group shares with “these two young and untainted political leaders.”

“Not just change in names but change in the kind of politics we have,” De Ocampo said.

Sarino said their group’s next move would be to organize efforts to campaign for Noynoy and Mar and make sure that they become the people’s candidates.

He explained that after organizing chapters in some 81 provinces and 200 cities nationwide, their group would then proceed to governance mode.

“Assuming he (Aquino) becomes the next president, we would want to offer him policies and programs that his government would pursue. This means ensuring that the aspirations are met through appropriate policies and programs,” Sarino said stressing that both Aquino and Roxas are entering into a covenant with the people.

– With Ric Sapnu, Dino Balabo

According to him, Mabuting Pilipino movement is a people’s group which can be tagged as the non-LP component of the presidential campaign for Noynoy and Mar.

Meanwhile, Aquino will visit the city of San Fernando, Pampanga to formally launch the Noynoy Aquino Movement for President (NAMP).

Aquino will reportedly lead the oath taking of local LP members in Pampanga.

Amelio Vitug, chief of Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio said that Aquino would first visit Madapdap Resettlement area in Mabalacat for a meeting with multi-sectoral groups and then pay a courtesy call on Mayor Francisco “Blueboy” Nepomuceno.

Aquino will proceed to the Capitol for a wreath-laying rite at his father’s monument there and also lead the symbolical tree planting at the newly renovated Arnedo Park before meeting Archbishop Paciano Aniceto at the Metropolitan Cathedral and ally Mayor Oscar Rodriguez at the City Hall.

Meanwhile in Malolos, Bulacan, Roxas and former Bulacan governor Josie de la Cruz of the local party Del Pilar are set to formalize an alliance today for next year’s elections.

The alliance will be forged through a signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two parties at the Capitol Gymnasium in Malolos.

“We believe that Liberal Party and the Noynoy-Mar tandem is the team to beat because they have the credibility and capability (to run) the country in the next six years,” said Ambrosio Cruz, former mayor of Guiguinto town who is running for a congressional seat in the second district of Bulacan. – With Ric Sapnu, Dino Balabo