Poe: Friendship not criterion in Cabinet

MANILA, Philippines – Independent presidential bet Sen. Grace Poe said last night she would not allow friendship to take part in her administration once elected to the top post in next year’s polls.

At the “Meet Your Candidates” forum at the Manila Polo Club, Makati City, Poe said friendship would not be a criterion in choosing her Cabinet.

“It won’t be gratitude for favors done. Most of all political accommodation or party affiliation will not get in the way of doing what is best for the country.”

Apparently, she meant that she would not follow President Aquino’s leadership where he had close friends and former classmates in his administration.

“I will choose my Cabinet based on merit not by friendship,” Poe said, but added that she would retain the best performers in the current administration.

“Good managers after all are not easy to find. Most of you in the businesses know that. So when one finds people doing a good job, why replace them just because the administration has changed?”

She identified some members of her advise team that would help her formulate policies as economists Cielito Habito and Romy Bernardo; Ateneo Dean Tony Lavina and academician Raul Fabella.

The senator also revealed her support for economic Charter change.

“I am open to economic Cha-cha. Foreign ownership in some industries...How competitive our country can be?” Poe said.

Poe also took potshots at the traffic problem, tanim-bala incidents and the government failure to address concerns of disaster-affected areas.

“If traffic is unbearable, someone must be ultimately responsible and must answer,” she said.

Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas also showed up at the forum.

Roxas, an alumnus of Wharton business school, was cheered by businessmen in the crowd after answering questions from the forum’s hosts Tony Velasquez and Karen Davila.

He explained his stand on tax reform, constitutional change, problems on security and the Philippines in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago did not show up at the event.

The forum was sponsored by Harvard Club of the Philippines; Kellogg School of Management, Alumni Club of the Philippines; and Wharton Penn, University of Pennsylvania Alumni Association.