Peace in the Middle East is of prime importance to the Philippines, due to the presence of around 2 million of our countrymen working in that region.

I had a simple goal in life: to be true to my parents and our country as an honorable son, a caring brother, and a good citizen.

I remove a lot of the pressure from myself by saying I'm not competing with my parents. They are the persons who taught me my ideology. They actively practiced what they preached. They're the exemplars and the role models. So how does one compete with a mentor?

The Philippines is strategically located and blessed with the greatest resource: its people, who are hard-working, very loyal, and very adaptive.

I'm not concentrated or concerned with any other factors rather than just being able to do the best job that I can.

Although I was born to famous parents, I know and feel the problems of ordinary citizens.

When I was a congressman, I had occasion to talk to this group of students who were taking their seat. There were about 80 of them and I asked them, 'How many of you will be serving in the country once you graduate?' And, out of the 80, there were two that raised their hands. The rest were thinking of leaving.

I was put into office by the people who believed in my idea that corruption is the root of poverty that an end to corruption would mean an end to poverty.