It's a working birthday for P-Noy today

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will celebrate his 53rd birthday today with his official family and holding meetings.

Abigail Valte, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, on Friday said Aquino will have a 10 a.m. meeting and a full cabinet meeting at 1:30 p.m.

"Yes, the president has work today. Ever since 2010, it has always been work over play during his birthday," Valte said in a TV interview.

She added that the president might have a few moments of rest in between the two meetings, but was unsure if he would have time for a bigger celebration.

Meanwhile, Valte defended Aquino from criticisms about his speech Cavite, where he said voters should stop believing in "amulets or magic charms" to make their life better.

Cavite is the hometown of Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., who was made popular by movies about heroes who were given amulets to fight villains. Revilla is reportedly running for president in 2016 under the Lakas - Christian Muslim Democrats partry.

Aquino's Liberal Party will reportedly choose Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II as the standard-bearer in 2016.

"The president has always been consistent in saying that voters should be discerning. The administration is popular, so some people want to take advantage of that and the president wants to remind the voters that not all of them are his allies in initiating reforms," Valte added.

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez of Lakas-CMD has assailed Aquino's statement, saying that amulets are part of Filipino culture.