Prospective girlfriend faces tougher screening than CA members - Noy

BANGKOK (via PLDT) – One thing that remains worrisome for the Philippines’ most eligible bachelor is not the grilling Cabinet members would face before the Commission on Appointments (CA), but the scrutiny any prospective girlfriend of his would face before the public.

In an informal post-dinner interview with Manila-based reporters who covered his two-day official visit here, President Aquino said he has already adjusted to the life of a Chief Executive who will hardly have a private life, considering his tight schedule.

He noted that his female friends are not applying for any government post and are not seeking appointment or election to any position, but the scrutiny they have to go through is tougher than the CA.

Aquino repeated that he wants to keep his private life private.

“Tulungan niyo ako na makapag-asawa (Give me a chance to get married) by leaving us alone,” he said.

The love life issue, again, came about after a Thai reporter, Jane Lim of Xinhua news agency, a Chinese news wire, commented that she could not understand why Aquino remains single when he is good-looking.

“He’s handsome. No, he’s really handsome. But why is he still single? Is he gay?” she asked reporters after the joint press conference of Aquino and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at the Government House late Thursday.

Meanwhile, Aquino said he has accepted Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s invitation for him to be best man during her 40th wedding anniversary with husband, Narciso Santiago.

Aquino said he initially turned down the offer for him to become the couple’s wedding sponsor, mainly because his late father, Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. was their wedding sponsor.

Aquino stood as sponsor in the wedding of his former running-mate Manuel Roxas II to newscaster Korina Sanchez, who was his (Aquino’s) girlfriend in the late 80s, when his mother was president.

Aquino mentioned the common belief that if one stands as wedding sponsor while still single, one will no longer get married.

He said he did not believe this and has been sponsor thrice.

“But maybe there is some truth to this,” he noted in Filipino, but quickly clarified, “Wait, it might come out in the news that I’m in a hurry to get married. Hindi ah (I’m not)!”