NOYNOY & MAR SHARE GK VISION / NOYNOY APPEALS
TO PEOPLE FOR KRIS
[PHOTO
AT LEFT -
Day-care pupil Chariz Darie Cudog gives the Filipino sign of respect to
Sen. Noynoy Aquino, as Sen. Mar Roxas applauds, when the Liberal Party tandem
graced the 60th birthday celebration of Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto in
Bagong Silang, Caloocan City yesterday. ERNIE PEÑAREDONDO]
MANILA, JANUARY 17, 2010 (STAR) By Patricia Esteves - Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III yesterday said he is making house building for the poor through Gawad Kalinga (GK) part of his platform of governance.
Aquino and running mate Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II yesterday attended the 60th birthday celebration of GK founder Tony Meloto in Barangay Bagong Silang in Caloocan City to show support for his advocacy.
GK Bagong Silang, built in 1999, is the first-ever housing project built for the poor in Caloocan.
Before the GK village was built, Bagong Silang was reputed to be a breeding ground of criminals and a dump of assassination victims.
Today, it is a peaceful community of responsible and hardworking people with simple but beautiful homes.
Aquino said he is amazed by the transformation of Bagong Silang and promised to build similar communities in slum areas all over the country.
“Because of your hard work, cooperation, willingness to change your community and yourselves and allowing GK to help you, you were able to transform this place. GK Bagong Silang is now a picture of a successful Philippines,” Aquino told the residents of the village.
“This is what I want to replicate all over the country, not just build homes but to change and correct what is wrong in our country,” he added.
Aquino promised that once he is elected, he will provide for the needs of the poor by following Meloto’s example.
“My hats off to Mr. Meloto, the Couples for Christ (CFC), and Gawad Kalinga for transforming the poor and slum communities. They walked the talk and did not merely give empty promises,” he said.
For his birthday wish, Meloto said the next president should make community development a priority in governance.
“One of my birthday wishes is for a new president who will make this holistic, community-based development platform as the priority of the new administration,” he said.
New campaign strategy
Aquino said he would no longer prioritize attending presidential forums or debates if the issues are not focused on the country’s problems and the ills of the Arroyo administration that need to be addressed.
He said he would still attend some of them and accommodate interviews but would focus on discussing his work in the Senate and other activities related to his campaign instead of personal issues.
He pointed out that he paid attention to the budget and the joint session of Congress on the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao in December and hardly spent time on his campaign.
“I have other obligations and I must balance my work and the campaign because I promised to serve (as a lawmaker),” Aquino said.
He said he voted against the P1.541-trillion national budget because it contains provisions that are anomalous.
“Everyone is claiming they want change but where were they when we were discussing important issues like the budget? This is an important tool to influence the policy of government,” he added.
Aquino said he is prioritizing his work in the Senate over invitations to debates.
“I would not be able to do anything if I would keep debating with people,” he said. - With Aurea Calica
Noynoy speaks up for Kris By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated January 17, 2010 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines – Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III appealed to the people yesterday to give his sister, popular actress and host Kris Aquino-Yap, and her husband, basketball star James Yap, some space so they could resolve their domestic issues as soon as possible.
Kris and James Yap’s marriage made headlines again this week after news came out that Kris confronted a certain Mayen Austria for reportedly having an affair with James.
Noynoy said Kris and James had trouble in December and were trying to patch things up for their family.
In a phone interview, Noynoy explained he had not yet spoken with Kris at length because he had been busy with his campaign sorties.
“I love my sister, my brother-in-law and their children, so I want them to be able to fix things,” Noynoy said.
He doesn’t agree with reports that Kris would allegedly scandalize and shame another woman.
“I don’t think that’s what really happened (that Kris created a scene in front of a neighbor’s house),” he said.
Noynoy said it was unfortunate that there were people riding on the issue and that it was being blown out of proportion, apparently because of the political season.
“They are both celebrities as well maybe that’s why it has become an issue,” the senator said.
“On my part, I will be the first one to give them space. I won’t talk unless they come to me and ask for advice,” Noynoy said.
Noynoy admitted the issue was “juicy” and so people would talk about it. “But the problem is this will not help them find a solution to the issues,” he said.
Noynoy reportedly told Kris to prioritize her family and not to mind the campaign too much after the actress sent a text message saying she was sorry that her marital crisis was being used to attack him.
Kris admitted that she and James almost separated last December because of marital problems but that they were working on their marriage.
On Jan. 13, Kris allegedly confronted and shouted insults at a certain Mayen Austria, an alleged female fan of her husband, at the gate of the Austria residence at Valle Verde 2 subdivision in Pasig City.
Kris denied the reports and said she only talked with Austria and her mother because she was bothered by the fact that the female fan was confiding to her husband about her love life.
Kris said it was not good for a woman to keep on talking to a married man and that she should instead find professional help or turn to her family and friends for comfort in times of trouble.