DAGUPAN CITY , Philippines– Sen. Grace Poe, a leading presidential bet, said she is willing to submit a health certificate from a respected physician to certify she is physically fit to run for public office.
The people have the right to know, she stressed to newsmen after barnstorming Pangasinan, the province of her late father Fernando Poe Jr., but qualified that details, like her cholesterol level or blood count, would be omitted “because that would be too much invasion of privacy.”
Questions on her condition were raised primarily due to her smoking, although she has not been seen smoking in public.
“This is the same issue raised (against) our President. But for me, this is not something that must not be taken up. We are all looking for ways to quit,” Poe said, adding that she is not encouraging anyone to smoke.
For her, it would be more important for all candidates to take a drug test because drug abuse is illegal.
The Commission on Elections, Poe pointed out, has not issued anything about physical fitness, hinting that a physically fit certificate would only certify that a candidate has “no terminal illness or anything that would stop (them from) work.”
She revealed that some are asking why she has getting thinner, prompting her to review footage of the 2013 election season when she also lost weight.
Poe explained that she and running mate Sen. Francis Escudero lose weight because they go from place to place, lack food and only have four to five hours of sleep.
The health of presidential candidates was raised after the sudden death of aspirant Roy Señeres due to a heart attack.
Vice President Jejomar Binay is rumored to have lupus, a condition he denied, while Mayor Rodrigo Duterte admitted to having Buerger’s disease or the inflammation of blood vessels, mostly in the limbs, due to smoking.
Sen. Miriam Santiago, a non-smoker, also previously admitted to undergoing treatment for stage four lung cancer.
Respect teachers
Poe also lashed out at Binay for belittling teachers who wanted to aspire for higher office.
The Vice President, she said, failed to recognize the contribution of teachers to the development of every person when he attacked her background during a rally in Cavite.
In that event, Binay told his supporters of a candidate who has been highlighting her experience as a teacher.
“How is being a teacher related to ruling the nation? The experience and abilities of a teacher are for the teaching profession,” Binay was quoted as saying.