PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday campaigned for Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II and running mate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo in Laguna.
“My question is: Will we continue our campaign for development, or will we go back to old ways of several abuses and a system of crookedness? As father of the nation, I just cannot go silent about this. It is my obligation to guide our Bosses and ensure that what we have worked for will not go to waste.
“We have made the foundation for good governance, and we have shown the Filipinos what good governance means; we have strengthened the institutions so that these will not be used for anomalies. But in the end, it is up to you if we will continue this,” Aquino said.
Aquino trumpeted the accomplishments of his administration for the past six years and again criticized the administration of former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
“Maybe we can compare my experience with the situation we took over,” said Aquino. “We were given promises. But my predecessor, we were given sweet promises of victories, but once we scrutinized this, we can just smirk due to the sourness of what we found out.”
“In Daang Matuwid, this is not our situation. Due to each others’ help, we can now take the sweet fruits of the reforms we have planted,” Aquino also said.
Aquino also noted the advocacies of his mother, former President Corazon Aquino, regarding “people empowerment through microfinance and cooperative-based activities.”
He also cited the financial reforms his administration has done for the past six years, such as cooperatives and the micro-, small-, medium-enterprises.
He said data in 2013 showed that MSMEs comprised more than 99 percent of business establishments in the Philippines.
These provide 63.7 percent of jobs in the Philippines, Aquino said, as he stressed the importance of strengthening this industry.
He said through the industry, the government is able to help provide microfinancing,as part of their agenda for “financial inclusion.”