Vice President Jejomar C. Binay unveiled a political party on Wednesday, creating a platform to run for president next year as his family loses grip of its power base in the nation’s main business district.
“We accept the challenge of true change,” Binay, 72, told supporters in Makati, a city in Metro Manila that his family had run for almost three decades. “The nation will come first, people will come first, the Filipino will come first.”
Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), which means “first” in the local language, would offer free medical services and education to the poor and improve public transport, said Binay, who quit President Aquino’s Cabinet on June 22. He said Aquino’s administration was insensitive and incompetent, and that his policies would boost the economy and create jobs.
Binay was overtaken last month by Sen. Grace Poe as the favored candidate for president, according to surveys by Pulse Asia Research Inc. and the Social Weather Stations.
The Vice President’s family has accused the government of political persecution. Allies of President Aquino in the Senate are investigating Binay over claims of corruption—allegations he denies.
His son, Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay, was suspended twice over accusations of graft. The mayor vacated the city hall on Wednesday in the absence of a court order stopping his suspension.
Pacquiao attends
Vice Mayor Kid Peña took his oath earlier Wednesday, marking the first time since the late 1980s that a politician other than a member of the Binay family has run the city. His daughters Abigail and Nancy remain lawmakers in the national congress.
Boxer Manny Pacquiao, former Finance Secretary Gary Teves and politicians associated with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo attended the event on Wednesday. Former President Joseph Estrada didn’t attend. Binay was the vice-presidential candidate in 2010 in Estrada’s failed bid for another term in a race against Mr. Aquino.
Estrada, in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday, said he’s still studying whether to support Binay or Poe, his goddaughter.
Binay supporters from all corners of the archipelago attended Wednesday’s ceremony, which featured song and dance numbers from popular performers. The police estimated a crowd of about 7,000 people.
“Binay has done a lot of good things for the people of Makati, and he will do that in a bigger scale once he becomes president,” said Makati resident Gregorio Ordas, 61. “I’m not saying he’s totally blameless and clean, but what’s important is that people have benefited from the Binay family’s rule.”
4 comments
The problem with Binay is that he CANNOT be trusted. He promises, he says, he lies, but he does the opposite. Has he accomplished anything meaningful as VP for more than 5+ yrs? NO, he was incompetent!
Benefited of what? For Makati’s constituents maybe, but the BINAY’a kickback in return is more than triple of what should Makati residence should get. Binigyan lang kayo ng isang hiwa ng litson laking tuwa nyo na, ang hindi nyo alam dapat buong litson ang para bawat isa sa inyo. Those kind of logic is true for the Makati people. They just don’t realize it.
“Binay has done a lot of good things for the people of Makati, and he will do that in a bigger scale once he becomes president,” said Makati resident Gregorio Ordas, 61. “I’m not saying he’s totally blameless and clean, but what’s important is that people have benefited from the Binay family’s rule.”
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Once he become president easier for him to plunder more…but maybe then he needs 500 bank accounts. UNBELIEVABLE how the most corrupt person can become president. WHat a country when are filipino’s going to wake up? You might as well make Manny Pacquiao President at least he does not need to plunder and will fight for the poor. Not the rich!
DO NOT TRUST BINAY! Bottom Line Yan. How can someone with so many pending cases become President of the Philippines. He also wants closer ties with China! Magnanakaw kasama kapwa Magnanakaw!