| President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday reiterated that putting the right leaders in place is a responsibility that ultimately lies with the electorate.“Lahat tayo, pare-pareho ang boto natin. Lahat tayo ay mayroong responsibildad sa pupuntahan natin. Kayo ang gumawa ng pagbabagong ating pinapakinabangan ngayon, kayo ang pwedeng lalong magpalago nitong pagbabagong ito para maging permanente,” the President said in his speech before leaders and residents of Muntinlupa City.
He recalled that when he began serving his term as president back in 2010, no one thought that 7.7 million Filipinos would be brought out of poverty.
“Noong 2010, ang sabi ninyo sa akin, ‘Tigilin mo lang ang kalokohan, malaking bagay na ‘yan.’ Noong 2010, walang nag-isip sa atin, 7.7 million na kababayan natin naangat sa poverty line, na gagawin tayong investment grade, na mayroon tayong 4.6 million kabahayang kayang tulungan,” he said, referring to the 4.6 million households currently benefitting from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
The President noted that the country is just beginning to reap the benefits of the government’s reform program.
On Muntinlupa, he said the city has been allocated an infrastructure budget of P2.05 billion from 2011 to 2016, a far cry from the P696.8 million it was given from 2005 to 2010.
He further said that according to the Department of Health’s database, 436,000 of Muntinlupa’s 500,000 population are covered by PhilHealth. The figure covers the principal members and their dependents, he said.
He added that P31.7 million has been earmarked for the city under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program, benefitting the Victoria Health Center in Tunasan.
Some 9,903 households in the city are benefitting from the 4Ps, he said, noting that the program could still be expanded to include college education.
“Isagad natin ang opurtunidad ng lahat. Mangyayari ho ‘yun basta huwag tayong lilihis. Pag nagkamali tayo at nag-left turn, right turn at u-turn, baka naman balik na naman tayo sa – pondo ng bayan nabubulsa, at mga proyektong puro tarpaulin na parating,” he said.
He warned against voting presidential candidates who make promises that are impossible to fulfill, encouraging the people to vote instead for the administration’s presidential and vice presidential candidates, Manuel Roxas II and Leni Robredo, respectively.
Thanking the people for giving him a chance to help transform the country, President Aquino said, “Ulit: Sasandal ako sa inyo. Hindi ko kakayanin masiguradong tuloy tuloy ‘yung Daang Matuwid natin. Hindi ko kakayanin mag-isa na masigurado ‘yung mga tamang kandidato na si Mar Roxas at si Leni Robredo ang mananalo sa ika-siyam ng Mayo kung hindi niyo ako dadamayan.”
“Ang solusyon ho ay nasa ating mga kamay, ginamit natin ilang beses para magkaroon ng tamang pupuntahan ang ating Inang Bayan. Kaya natin gawin ulit ‘yan. At sigurado po ako, gagawin niyo ‘yan pagdating ng ika-9 ng Mayo.” PND (sm) |
