VICE President Jejomar Binay says he’s still shopping for a running mate and is having trouble getting to the checkout counter.
‘Yun ang isa ko talagang pinuproblema kung sino ba ang aking magiging vice president (One of the things I’ve been pondering about is who would be my vice president),” the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party 2016 standard bearer told reporters during an interview Friday in Pasay City.
Media members asked Binay if he had been talking to prospective running mates–Senator Grace Poe included.
“Not necessarily kinakausap. Tinatanong-tanong ko ‘yung iba, kumusta na rito, kung [pwedeng] maging vice president (Not necessarily talking to them. I’ve been asking around, what’s up, can they be vice president),” he bared.
As for Poe, the 2013 senate race topnotcher, Binay said: “Pwede namang directly or indirectly ‘yun (We can talk about it directly or indirectly).”
The UNA leader, however, had glowing words for Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) President and Chief Executive Order (CEO) Darlene Berberabe, whom he described as “wow na wow talaga”. He pointed out that Berberabe, a lawyer, graduated magna cum laude in University of the Philippines’ College of Law.
“The test of the pudding is the eating. Ito naman ang sinasabi ko ay nadadagdag sa kinu-consider (The person I’m talking about has been added to those being considered),” Binay said of the Pag-IBIG chief, adding, “Magaling, magaling siya (She’s very good).”
The Vice President, a consistent leader in popularity surveys, also chairs Pag-IBIG.
Berberabe has so far indicated no desire to become a politiko, something that Binay acknowledged. “Alam mo naman ‘yung mga taong nanggaling sa private talagang natural na isasagot sa’yo, ‘dito na ho ako (People from the private sector will naturally say, ‘I’d rather stay here),'” he said.
Certificates of candidacy for the 2016 national elections must be filed by October this year.(Randy K. Ortega)
