Bayani confident of being Lakas standard bearer in 2010

DAVAO CITY – Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando confirmed last Monday his intention to run for president in the 2010 elections and expressed confidence that his party, Lakas-NUCD, will choose him as its presidential candidate.

“I have already signified my intention to run for president to my party, Lakas-NUCD, and I am confident I would be the party’s candidate,” Fernando told reporters here Monday night.

Fernando said he already had everything figured out for his candidacy.

He said the country would practically be glowing pink as he chooses pink to be his official color when he launches his campaign for the presidency in 2010.

Fernando explained that the color pink symbolizes freshness and good health.

“Everybody wants to be in the pink of health. And I want to bring the country to the pink of health in 2010,” the MMDA chairman said.

Fernando said he has all the qualifications of a presidential candidate, being a mechanical engineer, plus his vast experience both as a successful private contractor and a local government official, having served as mayor of Marikina for several years.

“What the country needs is an engineer and I am an engineer. You can see what I have done with the complete turnaround of what Marikina used to be before I became mayor,” Fernando said.

He said that his experience as MMDA chairman for six years also prepared him for the gigantic task of being president of the country.

Fernando said that he also plans to get a running mate from the South, like Sen. Mar Roxas who hails from Iloilo.

He, however, joked that Roxas is not the original “Mr. Palengke,” the senator’s campaign moniker.

“I am the real and the original Mr. Palengke because I was born in the market of San Juan,” Fernando said.

He said Roxas could be very good vice-presidential material being from the South, particularly Western Visayas.

The MMDA chairman also criticized the slogan “Sipag at Tiyaga” of Senate President Manuel Villar, the Nacionalista Party’s presidential candidate.

“It should not just be ‘sipag at tiyaga (industrious and determination)’ but should be ‘sipag at galing (industrious and capable).’ You will not reach far if you only have determination, you should also be capable,” Fernando said.

Fernando said his brief visit in Davao City last Monday night was to reach out to the Association of Transport Operators of Mindanao that held a caucus here the following day.

“There is nothing wrong with reaching out and expanding our network,” said Fernando, adding that the meeting with the transport operators would also be for purposes of exchanging inputs on the kotong (mulcting) experience of the transportation groups.

In Sulu, Gov. Sakur Tan pledged support to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who is being groomed as an administration bet in the 2010 presidential polls.

Despite Tan’s endorsement, Teodoro, who visited Patikul and met local participants to a youth leadership seminar, remained mum over his future political plans, saying that he had to consider several factors before making any decision on the matter.

Teodoro said he will take into consideration his family, the decision of the President and a reality check before he decides.

“I am very optimistic that this (youth) program will eventually educate the youth of Sulu on the importance of peace before progress and development can come in,” Teodoro said.

Meanwhile, pardoned former President Joseph Estrada said Villar and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay appeared to be the most pro-poor among the opposition presidential hopefuls because the duo both came from the poor before becoming prominent politicians.

Estrada, however, clarified that he has not yet decided on who he will endorse among Villar, Binay, Senators Panfilo Lacson, Loren Legarda and Mar Roxas to be the opposition’s presidential bet in 2010.

Estrada said that the opposition presidential or vice presidential candidates should be pro-poor.

“I think it’s Manny because he belongs to a poor family. But, at least, he worked his way through. Jojo Binay is also pro-poor. Unlike Mar (Roxas) who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, they are rich that is why they don’t have the feel for the poor,” Estrada said.

Villar was a market vendor who graduated from college and became a billionaire real estate developer before entering politics.

Binay, a human rights lawyer, became a politician after then President Corazon Aquino appointed him officer-in-charge of Makati City after the People Power revolt in 1986.

“Manny has the feel of the people because he belongs to the poor. He would not have joined the opposition during the last senatorial elections if he did not know that joining the administration is a ‘kiss of death.’ We have been talking and I believe that he will not run should I decide to run in 2010,” Estrada said.

Although he admitted that he has been receiving warm reception from the people during recent visits to slum areas in Manila, San Juan, Rizal, Quezon City, Nueva Ecija, and Laguna, Estrada said that he would still be the last option of the opposition in 2010. – With Jaime Laude, Jose Rodel Clapano