MVP on endorsement: Thanks, I’m no politician

MANILA, Philippines - Thanks, but he’s not interested.

Businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan is grateful for Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s praise and presidential endorsement, but says he is not a politician.

In an interview on the sidelines of the launch of the search for The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of the Philippines 2015 Wednesday night, Pangilinan dismissed the idea of running for president in the 2016 elections.

“Not really,” he said when asked if he was considering a run for the country’s top government post.

“(I’m) very honored and very flattered. Very grateful for her words, coming from her, a very well respected senator of the republic,” Pangilinan said, referring to Santiago’s unsolicited presidential endorsement.

“I’m not a politician, I’m just an ordinary business person,” he added.

Santiago endorsed Pangilinan as a presidential candidate in the 2016 elections during her speech last Wednesday at the Maynilad Leadership Talk at the GT-Toyota Center in the University of the Philippines in Quezon City.

“She had an excellent speech this morning (Wednesday) to Maynilad employees, great sense of humor, great nuggets of wisdom that she left with our people in Maynilad and she’s very impressive,” Pangilinan said about Santiago.

Pangilinan is chairman of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., infrastructure holding firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp., power distributor Manila Electric Co., mining firm Philex Mining Corp. and television network TV5.