It was a no-frills, ordinary day at the office for the second highest official of the land.
Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday started his “killer” schedule in Cebu with an early morning jog at the Cebu City Sports Center and capped the night with a speaking engagement before the local business chamber in a posh hotel.
In between, the vice president delivered two speeches, had a “boodle fight” with local officials, and awarded certificates of titles to beneficiaries of the government’s community housing mortgage programme.
In all, Binay insisted there were neither strings nor political color attached to his visit. The Garcias, who were the united opposition’s key ally in Cebu, were not around in all of Binay’s public engagements.
The vice president arrived in Cebu Friday night via a commercial flight to enable him to rest overnight to prepare for a non-stop engagement the day after.
“When I come to Cebu, it’s always part of my responsibilities,” he told reporters after addressing participants of the Philippine Capital Markets Investment Conference held at the Marriott Hotel yesterday morning.
Close scrutiny
Binay admitted though that he is subjected to close scrutiny by various groups including the business sector after he expressed his interest to gun for the presidency in 2016.
“Talagang kinikilatis ako nang maigi lalo na sa business sector,” he said. (I’m being closely watched especially by the business sector.)
But with the election still two years from now, Binay said, he is still focused on his responsibilities as vice president and as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
“Kapag pumupunta naman ako dito palaging may dahilan. Haharap sa business sector dito, mamaya mag-di-distribute kami ng certificates of title Trabaho pa rin iyon,” he said.
(There’s always a reason when I come here for a visit. I’ll be facing the business sector and later I’ll be distributing certificates of title. That’s all work.)
Binay was in Cebu City in February where together with his daughter, Sen. Nancy Binay, they inspected the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) which was heavily damaged in the October earthquake.
Binay is scheduled to head for Bacolod City this morning.
Physical fitness
Regulars at the Cebu City Sports Center were caught by surprise when Binay, together with local officials led by acting Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella, entered the track and went for a walk.
Sporting a yellow Los Angeles Lakers headband, bright yellow shirt, gray sweat pants and sneakers, the vice president brisk walked around the oval as he spoke with officials that included City Administrator Lucelle Mercado and lawyer Collin Rossel, chief of City Hall’s Department for the Welfare of the Urban Poor.
Mercado and Rosell took advantage of Binay’s undivided attention by following up the city’s pending P78 million loan application with the National Housing Authority (NHA) for the proposed construction of two medium-rise residential buildings at the old Lorega cemetery which will be earmarked as a housing project for the city’s urban poor.
After several laps around the oval, Binay went over to a group of boys playing football and joined them in a kick around before facing reporters.
Asked if the morning walk was part of his routine, Binay jestingly said he had to include physical fitness in his regimen especially now that he’s getting “younger”.
“At least five times a week. Talagang pag bata na dapag mag-exercise. At saka lalung-lalo na pagka pinagbibintangan kang may sakit, dina-dialysis o kung ano,” he said. (I do this at least five times a week. You have to do this especially if you’re getting ‘younger’ and moreso if some people spread rumors that you are sick and undergoing dialysis.)
The vice-president later obliged requests from onlookers as well as reporters and student interns to have their pictures taken with him before freshening up for his next engagement in Mandaue City where he joined local officials and urban poor representatives in a “boodle fight” of danggit, buwad (dried fish), longganisa, mangoes and bananas.
Socialized housing
The vice-president later led the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Philippine government and the World Bank in connection with a socialized housing program that would benefit at least 4,000 informal settlers especially those living along riverbanks.
“At least this is a finished product. Hindi na ito puro lupang pangako,” he said.
Mandaue City and Iloilo City are the two areas where the program, called City-wide Development Approach Program, is being implemented. Residents from Lower Tipolo, Canduman and Paknaan will be among the initial beneficiaries of the program in Mandaue City.
In a speech at the Philippine Capital Markets Investment Forum, the vice president pushed for the development of small and medium scale enterprises (SME), saying that a strong SME sector will lead to inclusive growth. He noted that while the Philippine capital markets are performing well, SMEs still find it difficult to access capital to finance their ventures.
“The problem is that while investment inflows are diversifying, the breadth of investment products remain basically the same—shares from large, publicly listed companies and other traditional products. The small and medium scale enterprises, that sorely need access to capital, are not able to tap into this pool,” he said.
Binay capped the day by keynoting the induction of officers of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry where he highlighted “service” as the key to leadership. “You and I will have to work hard together to create and nurture a culture of service that does not live in cosmetics or slogans and is measured by its output, and not just its pious declarations of principles or intent,” he said./ With Gerianne Faith B. Rizon, Kent A. Ugalde and Anie M. Paujana
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