Presidential candidate and survey frontrunner Bongbong Marcos doesn't buy a congressman's theory that a president's name would dictate whether or not he or she would be accepted by the international community.
During his pre-taped interview Monday, March 21 at "Kandidatalks: Negosyo, Trabaho at Kalusugan" by Go Negosyo, Marcos was asked to react to Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda's earlier remarks wherein he said that the next Philippine president about be "marketable" or acceptable to the international market.
It is for this reason that Salceda had previously endorsed Vice President Leni Robredo for the Palace seat over Marcos, despite the fact that the Bicol solon had endorsed Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's vice presidential candidacy.
Duterte-Carpio is the running mate of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer Marcos.
"Bakit, ano yung magiging pangamba nila? (What will they be concerned about?)" Marcos asked.
"Wala akong kilalang bansa na magsasabi, 'Dahil ang pangalan mo, 'Cosim', hindi kami magnenegosyo kasama mo.' Hindi totoo yun, hindi mangyayari yun (I don't know any country that would say, 'Because your name is 'Cosim', we won't do business with you.' That's not true, that will never happen)," he stressed. Marcos was referring to Cheryl Cosim, the journalist who conducted the interview.
Marcos is the son of the late former strongman president Ferdinand Marcos.
When Cosim raised the issue of fostering trust in the international community in order to gain much-needed trade for the Philippines, the UniTeam member said: "Kahit sinong pangulo na uupo will have to earn that tiwala (Anybody who will sit as president), will have to earn that trust. It doesn't matter who is sitting. Ipapakita nila, kaya sila pagtiwalaan (They will show that they are trustworthy)."
"And trade is trade," Marcos added. "Kung maganda ang pinag-usapan ninyo, kahit ba naman anong pangalan ninyo, matutuloy ang inyong magiging usapin, ang inyong magiging kontrata, ang inyong magiging export--lahat yan (If you had a good agreement, it doesn't after what your name is, that prospective agreement or contract or export--everything--will push through)."
"So I don't know what Joey is talking about when he says that the international market will decide upon the person's name; they will decide upon your performance," the aspiring president stressed.