Press Release
February 21, 2016

EFFECTIVENESS NOT MEASURED BY LENGTH OF SERVICE

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY--Presidential frontrunner Sen. Grace Poe said there is no proof that leaders who have been in government longer are more effective, addressing questions on length of government service.

Poe reiterated that she has what it takes to lead the country, given her executive role at the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), and her stint as a legislator. Poe was elected to the Senate with over 20 million votes, the highest in Philippine electoral history.

"Pare-pareho lang naman ang problema ng Pilipinas e, pare-pareho nandyan. Wala pong proof na kapag matagal ka na sa pwesto mas magaling ka," Poe said during the first round of the presidential debate at the Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City.

In Pilipinas Debates 2016, the first national debate in partnership with the Commission on Elections, Poe countered the statement of Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas that the presidency is not an on-the-job training. Roxas said that without experience in government, a president will not know how to arrive at crucial decisions or discern who is fooling her.

"Alam ko naman kung binobola ako o hindi, kahit maikli ang aking panunungkulan sa gobyerno," Poe said.

"Tama si Secretary Mar, naka-tatlong administrasyon na siya dyan, nabigyan na ng ilang mga responsibilidad sa gobyerno. Pasensiya na rin po pero marami rin akong inimbestigahan katulad ng DILG at doon sa DOTC sa MRT, at sa tingin ko naman hindi mo kailangan ng napakahabang karanasan para malaman na kulang ang tulong gobyerno sa transportasyon sa ating bayan at kulang ang tulong ng gobyerno para magkaroon tayo ng katatagan," the senator said.

Poe led investigations on the sorry state of the Metro Rail Transit-3 and the tragic Mamasapano incident. Both issues involved the agencies that Roxas headed.

"Sa lahat sa kanila, ako nga ang pinakamaikli ang karanasan. Pero ang nakikita ko bilang isang nanay ay ang pangangailangan ng isang pamilya," Poe said.

A former teacher, Poe said that while she did not have as many years in government as her opponents, she knows what the Filipinos need.

"Para sa akin, ang aking karanasan bilang isang teacher bagamat minamaliit ng iba, hindi po tayo makakarating sa puntong ito kung hindi dahil sa isang guro na nagmalasakit at nagturo sa atin kung ano ang tama at mali," she said.

Poe served as chairman of the MTRCB from 2010 to 2012, where she instituted a new ratings system.

As a senator, she passed bills to address poverty, hunger and malnutrition and illegal drugs and criminality. She is also a staunch advocate and primary sponsor of the Freedom of Information bill, a measure designed to curb corruption and promote transparency in government.

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