Malacanang: President Aquino duty-bound to fulfill his mandate

President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during a dialoque with reformists and like-minded public servants from government and civil society at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang Palace Friday, September 12, 2014.(Photo by Gil Nartea/Malacanang Photo Bureau)

MANILA — Malacanang on Friday said President Benigno Aquino III was duty-bound to fulfill his mandate amidst calls from his detractors for him to step down.

“The President is duty-bound to fulfill his mandate from the people,” said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in a statement on Friday.

“He (Aquino) remains firmly committed to pursue the reforms aimed at achieving stable and inclusive growth for the country,” he added.

Coloma stressed that reforms introduced by the Aquino administration “have been established on the platform of good governance and have gained acceptance by the vast majority of our people, as well as recognition from the international community.”

The National Transformation Council (NTC) earlier called on the Chief Executive to give up his post claiming that he is not fit to lead the country anymore in connection with the controversies that involved some of the members of his Cabinet.

Coloma, however, stressed that the transformation of the country from being regarded as “the sick man of Asia” to being Asia’s fastest growing economy “has been achieved because of the people’s robust support for the administration’s reform programs.”

“Moving forward, the government will continue to invest on improving the quality of life and developing the fullest potentials of its most valuable resources: the Filipino people,” he added.