Experience as VP no guarantee of being good president – Grace Poe

Becoming a vice president first is no guarantee that a politician will be a good president, Senator Grace Poe said Sunday.

 

Poe made the statement in response to Sen. Sergio Osmena III’s suggestion that she run for vice president in next year’s elections to gain the experience to become a better president in 2022.

 

“Karanasan ay mahalaga pero kung ang gagamitin nating karanasan ay pagiging vice president, balikan natin ang kasaysayan… Marami naman ang naging vice president, tapos naging pangulo. Pero hindi naman garantiya ‘yun dahil kung nawala sa iyong puso na manilbihan, ikaw ay kakapusin, ikaw ay babagsak. At nangyari na iyan sa kahit sinong may karanasan sa gobyerno bago naging presidente,” she told dzBB radio in an interview.

 

Poe, who was appointed chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board in 2010 before winning a Senate seat three years later, noted that no president has said he or she is already experienced about running the country — except for those who were reelected to the presidency.

 

“At kahit na paulit-ulit ang termino, nakita naman natin na pag masyado pa ngang nagtagal sa puwesto, nakasama pa nga sa bayan,” she said.

Of the 15 who have served as presidents of the Philippines, six were former vice presidents.

Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo became president in 2001 after President Joseph Ejercito Estrada was ousted over allegations of corruption. She ran for president in 2004 and won.

 

While Poe has yet to decide on whether or not she will run for president, she said she respects and understands Osmeña’s suggestion that she become a vice president first.

 

Osmeña, who ran President Benigno Aquino III's election campaign in 2010, served as campaign manager for Poe’s 2013 senatorial bid.

On Escudero: We didn't insist on meeting Aquino together

 

Despite their relationship, Poe said she doesn’t want to comment anymore on Osmeña’s other suggestion that she ditch Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero when she considers her political plans since it will not be good for her if they are considered a “package deal."

 

“Opinyon niya iyan. Ayoko nang patulan, Kung may dahilan si Senator Serge kung bakit niya nasabi iyon, puwede niya akong kausapin tungkol dyan,” she said.

 

Poe and Escudero met last week with President Benigno Aquino III and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas over dinner in Malacañang to discuss their political plans but no concrete decision about the 2016 national elections was made during their talk.

 

Even if Poe has expressed her preference for teaming up with Escudero in case she runs for higher office, she said neither of them demanded that they be met by Aquino together in Malacanang.

 

"Bakit kasama si Senator Chiz [sa meeting]? Una, baka dahil sa vice presidential survey ay pumapangalawa si Senator Chiz. Isa pa siguro sa puwedeng dahilan ay pareho kaming walang partido. Siyempre, magkaibigan kami, pero hindi kami nagde-demand na magkasama. Suhestyon lang 'yon. Siyempre bahay ng Pangulo iyan at kami'y naimbitahan lang," she said. 

 

Poe also said she considers the meetings with the president a privilege since she is able to learn from Aquino's experience in running the government.

 

The two senators are slated to meet with Aquino and Roxas again soon although Poe said there is no confirmation yet if the next meeting will take place this week, or before the president gives his final State of the Nation Address on July 27. — Xianne Arcangel/JDS, GMA News