Thinning hair better than thick face - Noy

SAN JOSE, California – Vowing never to break the people’s trust in him despite the many challenges coming his way, President Aquino told Filipinos here Saturday night that thinning hair was better than having a “thick face” – the literal translation of makapal ang mukha, the Filipino term for shamelessness.

The President said he was touched to see Filipinos taking the time to see him while having lunch at Max’s restaurant at Seasons Marketplace in Milpitas town.

Seasons Marketplace is AyalaFil Management’s first mixed-use retail store center project in the United States. The mall houses the latest Seafood City store and some of the well-known Filipino brands and establishments such as Max’s, Chowking, Yellow Cab, Tokyo Tokyo, Goldilocks and others.

“I’d rather have the thin hair than the thick face,” Mr. Aquino told his countrymen.

In a speech later at the launching of the Philippine Development Forum at the Fairmont Hotel here, the President said he could feel the optimism in many of his countrymen.

“Now you have in place a government in the homeland that will not let you down, that will not have utterances that they don’t intend not live up to. This is government that owes its existence to trust, that trust is sacred and it will deliver,” Mr. Aquino said.

Mr. Aquino said he was aware that he got elected “basically by trust” to make a difference or change in the system.

Mr. Aquino said he was really impressed with Filipinos who continuously make the country proud wherever they are in the world.

He recognized that many would feel dejected because of the kind of system in the Philippines and corrupt politicians.

But Mr. Aquino said Filipinos could dream again because things were starting to look brighter as shown by the stock market and a strong peso.

The President said the government, with all the Cabinet members who gave up their high salaries to join his administration, has been making significant gains in their departments as well.

Mr. Aquino said having a decent and upright government would not be impossible now that his administration has made headway.

In less than three months, he said a lot of things changed because the people wanted it.

“We are confident that with the people behind us, nothing is impossible. We will achieve our dreams and it will be soon rather than later,” he said.

Mr. Aquino rallied the people to continue on the right path and never mind those who would drag them down. He said it was time to stop crab mentality and not pull others down when they were moving forward.