A direct descendant of former President Manual Acuna Roxas and Senator Gerardo Roxas, a member of an illustrious and prominent clan who owns the Araneta Group of Companies (the Araneta CBD, a CBD already even before Makati and Ortigas cities), Mar Roxas is well-poised to be a presidential contender.
He had also been a good follower being a former cabinet secretary (Department of Trade and Industry) under the Arroyo administration but has since then moved on to the opposition. Has it ever occurred to anyone that it is much easier to run as opposition than administration, in terms of easy take on the electorates?
Ever since, this guy knows how to use the media being known (through media ads then and even now) as Mr. Palengke (Mr. Market).
Mar Roxas was also instrumental in the bill lowering prices of medicine but the same is as yet not fully effective. It is common knowledge that medicines in the Philippines are priced 10x their direct cost, at least, compared to other countries like India.
He, too, is correctly targeting his ads for the CDE market and is unashamedly cheesy about delivering it. Pan center: Mar Roxas riding a tricycle with a little girl from the slums sitting beside him and his brother driving the trike. The location is on a slum street. Mar Roxas: "Young Lady, what is your ambition in life?" Young girl without hesitation: "I want to be an actress!" The brother: "Me, I want to be a seaman to get out of this slum. But right now, I have to drive this trike for us to eat. That's the way it is here in the slums." Close up Mar Roxas: "Children, let me drive instead. I will help you. I won't let you down. I will fulfill your dreams."
That's how to talk to the CDE market and Mar Roxas is unabashed about it. This could be another guy destined to become president under the close tutelage of a very strong matriarch, Dona Judy Araneta Roxas.
Examining closely how he conducts himself in Senate inquiries and how he asks questions, I am yet to be impressed.
Does he have trackrecord? Oh yes and he knows how to trumpet that around. I don't think that's a fault. Even being cheesy could not be a fault, if you know your "market".
What's next? Very soon or probably within the year, he will be marrying one of the most influential lady broadcaster Korina Sanchez. The wedding would be a coup which would solicit free coverage from all the major networks, and am sure it would be replayed over and over again for all its political worth.
Question: Will Korina Sanchez be a good First Lady? Hopefully. The lady will probably "soften up to a cuddle" being married but she is potentially as explosive, if not more, than Imelda Marcos. Explosive in the sense that she knows how to speak her mind out and she does so, as a very influential broadcaster. Not even Imelda had that personal prowess as hers is derived totally from Marcos then though Marcos did not win if not for Imelda's indefatiguable campaigning (and being cheesy too).
Though Imelda, I personally think, is more beautiful and charismatic than Korina, given the proper mindset Korina could become a most abled First Lady equally taking assignments as Mar Roxas, if ever. The lady is indefatiguable with very powerful connections, on her own account!
Will Mar Roxas make the Philippines prosper? That is not yet apparent as this is really a bourgeoisie question. What probably matters to Mar is how to talk correctly to who will make him win.