A PRESIDENT must not have a “kirida” or mistress.
Senator and presidential aspirant Miriam Defensor-Santiago cited this as one of the qualifications a president of the country should have during a brief stop yesterday at the University of Cebu.
Santiago, who is running under her party, People’s Reform Party, reiterated the three important qualifications of the country’s president: academic excellence, professional excellence; and faith in God.
Of these three requirements, faith in God stands first, she said.
“This country must be filled with people who bear the characteristics of faith in the Almighty. God is not a person like you and me. But we know God is the source of all human life and of human excellence,” Santiago said.
He also encouraged students to study hard and be good citizens.
“What we want is to do the will of God. I want you to be the best in school, to practice what we learn in college so we can help all others. We have to make the Philippines a great nation,” said Santiago, who is running as an independent candidate for the presidency in the coming elections.
She also highlighted the need for a presidential candidate to have high academic excellence, saying leading the Filipinos is not easy.
Under the law, even a policeman has to be a college graduate.
She encouraged students not to lose hope and practice what they learn in college so they can help others and make this country great.