Tsinoys looking ahead to kinder president

MANILA, Philippines - Even as the campaign for the May elections is just heating up, some people are already thinking ahead to the presidential elections in 2016.

Vice President Jejomar Binay was described as a “soon to be president” by an official of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII). The official happens to be the father of Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap.

Domingo Yap, the group’s vice president, introduced Binay as “Vice President and soon to be the president of the republic.”

Binay, guest speaker yesterday at the two-day 29th biennial convention, joked at the start of his speech: “Ang aga magsipsip ng pare ko (you’re currying favor this early).”

Binay later told reporters that it is too early to think about the presidential elections.

“Trabaho muna tayo (Let’s work first),” he said.

Binay, however, admitted he has been aspiring to become president since he was young.

There are no indications though that the FFCCCII sanctioned Yap’s description of Binay. The group did not release a statement expressing support for Binay’s presidential bid.

FFCCCII president Tan Ching declined to comment when asked whether their group would support Binay in 2016.

It was not the first time Binay was called the future president of the Philippines.

Candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) had addressed the Vice President as “President Binay” in various campaign sorties.

In a Bulacan sortie held early this month, Binay admitted to reporters that being called president was getting to be “music” to his ears.

While some politicians are not comfortable talking about the 2016 polls, Binay has not concealed his ambition to become the country’s chief executive.

“I will repeat, I don’t want to be called a hypocrite. I admit I am aspiring to become a presidential candidate in 2016,” Binay said on the sidelines of a security forum in Camp Aguinaldo last year.

“But I must stress that we should talk about these things later. I need to work first,” he added.

Binay’s candidacy is backed by members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), of which he is chairman.

Talks are rife that the 2016 presidential polls would be a three-way race involving Binay, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II of the Liberal Party and Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. of the opposition party Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats.