Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II’s first stop on Friday (August 14) was at a national health summit in Pasay City.
Roxas spoke before hundreds of local government and health officials.
He insisted that his recent activities were in line with his job as Interior secretary but clearly, he had also used them to talk politics.
He was in a jolly mood in the summit and even tried to crack a joke amid questions on his possible running mate.
His joke — at the expense of health secretary Janet Garin — by saying that if the two of them teamed up, they would be called “MarGarin,” referring to the popular bread spread.
Roxas could be trying to change what some say is his snobbish image.
He showed more of his lighter side in Davao City.
Speaking at an assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), he cracked a few jokes.
“Sana ang LMP ay Sabado at ako naman ay Linggo. Bakit? Dahil ako ang kinabukasan ng LMP… Naisip ko sana ang LMP ay isang gitara, para habang kumakanta ako ay yakap ko kayo,” Roxas quipped.
[Translation: ” How I wish LMP was a Saturday, then I’d be the Sunday. Because I will be the future… I wish LMP was a guitar, so that I while I’m singing, I could hold it close to my heart.”]
More than 200 mayors from Mindanao were there.
An ally from the region was optimistic, the Liberal Party’s bet will do better in next year’s elections.
In 2010, Roxas lost to Vice President Jejomar Binay in Mindanao.
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov.Mujiv Hataman believed the region will go for Roxas, citing that there was still no clear sign of Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte running for president,
As he’s done in his previous meetings with local officials — Roxas appealed for support so that he can continue the Daang Matuwid (Straight Path) campaign.
He also took a swipe at his political opponents.
“Mayroong nagnanais na itong tuwid na daan ay mag-detour o mag-U-turn pa, bumalik sa dati na dapat may kakilala para makakuha kayo ng project,” Roxas said.
[Translation: “There are those who want to twist the straight path, to go back to the old ways when one needed political connections just to bag a project.”]
His trip to Davao City was reminiscent of a campaign sortie.
He stopped for photos and, at some point, even explained why he’s running.
Roxas also visited his old friend Davao Archbishop Romulo Valle, who accompanied him to a gathering of his supporters primarily composed of civil society representatives.
