As Marcos marks his 1st 100 days in office, Pimentel's advice: 'Keep your eyes on the ball'
While saying that he believes that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is trying his best as a leader, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III advised the President "to keep his eyes on the ball" as the country battles with the rising inflation, high cost of fuel, and joblessness.
"I believe he's trying his best pero bawas-bawasan na lang natin itong mga kilos or activities which give us a hint of some insensitivity to what our people are going through right now," Pimentel said as Marcos marks his first 100 days in office on October 8.
"This is really a very difficult time to govern. The world's situation is very unpredictable, if not chaotic. I hope he will always 'keep his eyes on the ball.' Let us not be distracted. Let us give our responsibility 100 percent of our focus and attention," Pimentel stressed.
He added how the Filipinos have been suffering from the high cost of basic commodities and how the country's educational system has been declining. In addition, the country faces a serious problem with law and order.
"Mahirap ang buhay ngayon. Dito na lang sa Metro Manila, ilan ang beggars na nakikita natin. Being a leader, I think we need to feel for our people. Let us try to feel the pain and the difficulties that they are going through," he stressed.
This as he questioned the necessity for the President to have taken a much-needed "break" outside of the country.
"Must you go abroad just to have a break?" he asked, saying that he does not agree with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin who had earlier said that it is irrelevant to even ask about the President's controversial trip to Singapore to watch the F1 race.
"When he appeals to defend the budget of the Office of the President, we will ask him that question. Who paid for the trip? That is very important to know," the minority leader said.
"We all need time to rest and to recharge. My question is, you are entitled to your break time but did you really have to go abroad to get your rest?" he asked.
As the president of 109 million Filipinos, Marcos needs to be accessible and the public needs to know where he is, according to Pimentel.
"If you are going to take a break outside of your territorial jurisdiction, you should inform somebody so contingency plans are in place," he added.
