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Emotional Roxas accepts PNoy endorsement




(Updated 10:12 p.m.) Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II on Friday felt emotional as he accepted President Benigno Aquino III's endorsement for his 2016 presidential candidacy.
 
Roxas was all praises for Aquino's administration and "tuwid na daan" platform.
 
"PNoy allowed us to imagine again what the Filipino is capable of... Mga boss, hindi ko sasayangin ang tiwala ninyo. I owe the Filipino as much and I owe as much as to you, Mr. President. I've never met a president who sacrificed so much for the country," Roxas said, fighting back tears. [Click here for full text of speech.]
 
"Hinding hindi ako lilihis sa daang matuwid. Ibubuhos ko ang lahat, wala akong ititira sa sarili ko. I will lay everything on the floor para sa laban na ito," he said to a crowd of LP members, supporters and government officials.
 
Roxas said the President's declaration felt like a passing of the torch from Aquino's parents, democracy icons Benigno Aquino Jr. and late President Corazon Aquino.
 
"Sa pag-endorsong ito, pakiramdam ko, pinapasa mo sa akin ang mga pinaglaban ng iyong mga magulang," he said tearfully. "Malaking karangalan po sa akin 'yon, Mr. President."
 
He added: "Sinusumpa ko ngayon, hindi ko dudumihan ang pangalan nila, at lalong hindi ko dudumihan ang pangalan mo."
 
"I owe the Filipinos as much, and I owe as much to you, Mr. President. Buong pagpapakumbaba po akong nagpapasalamat sa inyo at sa ating mga boss. Hinding hindi ako lilihis sa Daang Matuwid," Roxas added.
 
He said he also owes it to his family to pursue the principle of "bayan muna bago sarili," the same words he uttered when he announced six years ago that he would give way to Aquino's 2010 presidential candidacy.

"Nung nawala si Dinggoy, sa akin lumapag ang responsibilidad na isabuhay ang prinsipyong ito. Hindi ko ito kayang talikuran. Hindi ko kayang talikuran ang dad, si Dinggoy at ang aking lolo," Roxas said.

Mar's brother, former Capiz Rep. Gerardo "Dinggoy" Roxas, Jr., died in 1993 due to colon cancer. His father Gerardo was a former senator while his grandfather Manuel is a former president.
 
Roxas was endorsed by President Aquino at the historic Club Filipino, where, six years ago, he announced that he would give way to Aquino's presidential candidacy. He arrived at the LP event dubbed as a "gathering of friends" with his wife, ABS-CBN broadcaster Korina Sanchez, and son, Paolo. Also present was his mother, Judy Araneta-Roxas.

"Ngayon, buong katapatan, buong loob at buong panindigan ko itong tinatanggap...Tulad ng nasabi ninyo ginoong pangulo, simula pa lang ito. Laban pa rin tayo. Ako si Mar roxas, tinatanggap ko ang hamon," he said at the end of his speech, as the crowd chanted "Roxas na! Roxas na!"

'Man of the hour'

In his speech, Aquino stressed that Roxas , the "man of the hour," is the best person to continue Daang Matuwid.

"Ang sa akin lang po: Bakit tayo magpapaakit sa 'baka, kung meron namang sigurado? Liwanagin ko lang po, ‘yung siguradong tinutukoy natin, [tawanan] hindi ‘yung siguradong tiwali sa ating Daang Matuwid," Aquino said.

"So, ano ho ‘yung siguradong kinausap natin at sigurado tayo? Number 1: Siguradong may kakayahan; siguradong walang ibang Boss kundi ang taumbayan, siguradong walang ibang pinagkakautangan ng loob, siguradong walang ibang interes kundi ang bayan. Sa madaling salita po, doon na po tayo sa siguradong itutuloy ang Daang Matuwid
 
At ang paniniwala ko po, ang taong ito, walang iba kundi si Mar Roxas," the President said amid thunderous applause.

After formally endorsing Roxas, the Aquino then listed his achievements and even defended him from his critics.

"Ang palaisipan nga po sa atin: Sa kabila ng mga nagawa ni Mar, sa kabila ng kanyang sakripisyo, para bang may industriya talagang nakatutok sa paghatak sa kanya pababa," he said.

He also called on his colleagues to make sure the public knows about his anointed one.

"Malinaw po kung sino sa mga pagpipilian ang tunay at karapat-dapat nating maging susunod na pinuno. At kung mababa man ang kanyang mga numero sa ngayon, ibig sabihin kailangan pa nating paghusayan ang pagpapakilala sa kanya," Aquino said.—with Rose-An Jessica Dioquino and Trisha Macas/ALG/KBK, GMA News
Tags: eleksyon2016
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