Mar hits Poe's proposal on Mindanao budget

CAGAYAN DE ORO — Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel "Mar" Roxas II criticized the proposal of Sen. Grace Poe to allot 30 percent of the country's national budget to Mindanao.

Roxas said in an ambush interview after the presidential debates in Cagayan de Oro on Sunday that it is easy to make promises.

"Ang dali mangako ng kung anu-ano. Halimbawa may isa sa kanila na nagsabi na 30 percent ng budget. Alam ba nila kung ano ang sinasabi nila? That's P1 trillion," Roxas said.

The administration bet also cited Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago's comment on Poe's proposal.

"Madali mangako. Mula lupa hanggang langit napapangakuan 'yan. Sabi nga ni Sen. Miriam, magkano 'yan? Saan mo kukunin ang pera?" the administration candidate said.

Roxas added that some of the problems in Mindanao, such as the energy crisis, have already been solved.

The former Interior Secretary cited the 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Davao that has recently been inaugurated.

READ: Aquino opens Davao coal plant, vows to leave Mindanao in better situation

"Hindi ba nila alam na nalutas na ang problema ng kuryente sa Mindanao? 2600 megawatts ang kuryente na itatayo dito sa Mindanao sa loob ng susunod na mga buwan," Roxas said.

Roxas stressed that presidential aspirants should be informed about the situation of their constituents.

The administration bet, along with four other presidential aspirants — Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Poe — attended the first of three presidential debates sanctioned by the Commission on Elections in Cagayan de Oro.

The next round of the presidential debates is set on March 20 at University of the Philippines Cebu while the final round will be held at University of Pangasinan on April 24.

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