Davao Archbishop Valles on Mar Roxas

DAVAO ARCHBISHOP: ROXAS HONEST, VERY GOOD MAN

“It was a meeting of good, old friends.”

 

This was how Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles described the visit of Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas at the prelate’s local residence in Davao City last August 14.

 

Valles’ statement came after Roxas paid a courtesy call at the bishop’s residence when the secretary flew to Davao City as the guest speaker for the Mindanao cluster conference of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.

 

“A good friend—very honest and hardworking—has just visited me and we are happy that he [Roxas] is here in Davao,” Valles said.

 

The bishop clarified that there was no politics involved during their meeting saying it was more personal than political.

 

“I just want to let you know that the archbishop of Davao knows Mar Roxas, personally, back in the days when he was still at DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] and I was archbishop of Kidapawan,” Valles explained to reporters.

 

Valles said he first met Roxas when there was an inauguration and blessing of a huge public market in downtown Kidapawan several years ago when Roxas was still secretary of DTI and he was the archbishop of the province.

 

“His persona was very friendly, very warm when he walked through the door and greeted me. He even noticed the basket full of fruits at my table and ate a banana. He is very down to earth and honest in expressing his feelings. He shows his real self. Isa lang ito sa mga naaalala ko noong una kaming magkita,” Valles said.

 

The bishop said he sees Roxas as a man of integrity and action, as seen in the secretary’s performance at cabinet official of Daang Matuwid.

 

“I pray that the good Lord bless Mar Roxas—a very good and honest man. Bless him for keeping all our hopes alive,” Valles said of Roxas.

 

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