Roxas on bashers: ‘I can’t please everyone’

Administration presidential candidate and former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II said he was no longer bothered by detractors who criticize him for trying to identify with the masses.

More than public perception, Roxas—who belongs to the wealthy Araneta clan—said he was more focused on whether or not his work can contribute to the nation and the ordinary Filipino.

“Hindi lahat ng tao ay gugustuhin ka, 'di ba? I mean hindi lahat ng tao ay boboto sa 'yo. Para sa akin naman eh gawin ko kung ano ang tama. Mahaharap ko ang Panginoon when it's 'pass your papers' time. Matitingnan ko sa mata ang mga ama ko, mga ninuno ko, hindi ako nagnakaw,” Roxas said in an interview with GMA News anchor Mel Tiangco for “Wanted: President”.

Roxas recalled an instance when he was criticized over a viral photo showing him lying atop a block of ice.

“Sabi ko sa cameraman kuhanan mo nga ako, katuwaan lang. Kuhanan mo nga ako, humiga ako sa bloke ng yelo. Ginawang issue. Wala na talaga sigurong magawa sa buhay. Eh katuwaan lang namin 'yun eh,” recalled Roxas.

“I mean, mga inosenteng wala namang malisya 'yun. Eh kung nangatog ako dun, ako naman lang 'yun eh. May nasaktan ba ko nun? Wala naman. So akin lang is hindi ko na pinapansin 'yan kasi sa lahat ng gagawin mo may pupuna, may magsasabi ng kung ano-ano. Eh hayaan mo na lang sila,” he added.

Roxas is the wealthiest among the leading 2016 presidential candidates. His net worth as of December 31, 2014 amounted to P202 million.

Roxas, who was known as “Mr. Palengke” during the 2004 senatorial elections, said he was often “misinterpreted” by some people as someone who was trying too hard to identify with the poor.

“Wala namang, hindi naman ako nagpapanggap na tagabuhat ako ng sakong bigas, 'di ba? Malinaw naman 'yung pinagmulan ko. Sino naman ang mag-iisip na seryoso akong nagpapanggap na nagbubuhat ako ng, na 'yun ang hanapbuhay ko o trabaho ko?” he said.

Roxas has an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Economics, and had worked as an investment banker in New York. — ALG/DVM/KG, GMA News