MANILA, Philippines – Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe defended herself from criticism she is inexperienced to run the country, after having been a senator for only 3 years.

In a speech before business executives and Filipino alumni of American schools such as Harvard, Kellog, and Wharton, Poe said being new in politics has “tremendous advantages,” as she has no baggage and extra weight unlike old-time politicians. (Only Poe and administration standard-bearer Mar Roxas attended the presidential forum.)

“My critics say that having been a senator for just three years, I lack the experience, not just in government, but even in matters pertaining to the economy,” Poe said in her speech. “But to you I ask, is there any evidence from our history that shows that long years in public service automatically translates to good governance and effective economic policy? Not necessarily.”

The presidential survey front runner said she is open to getting cabinet secretaries of the Aquino administration who are good and efficient. After all, she said good economic managers are hard to find.

Earlier, Poe also talked about her plans in engaging China. (READ: Grace Poe: Let’s pursue other ties with China)

Below is the full text of her speech Wednesday night:

“Harvard Club of the Philippines, Kellogg School of Management, Wharton-Penn Alumni Association, ladies and gentlemen. I was scheduled to speak at 8:30 pm but I was here a little before 8 pm and I wanted to wait a few more minutes to give the courtesy to Secretary Mar, but understanding the worsening traffic in Metro Manila, I hope you don’t mind if I go ahead this evening. I know that some of you were already here as early as 6 pm, you know, one of my closest advisers was actually a little bit surprised and worried why I accepted this invitation because he is one of you, and he knows how critical you are and how you think. But I said, I meet all sorts of people every day and most of them are very hard to please. But I’ve learned that it’s important, number one, to be truthful, and just to have a clear plan of what you represent, and it’s easier after that.

I am running for president next year, not just because I believe that I stand a good chance of winning, but because I believe that I have what it takes to shepherd our country along the next leg of our economic journey, the path to inclusive growth. My critics say that having been a senator for just three years, I lack the experience, not just in government, but even in matters pertaining to the economy. That may well be the case. But to you I ask, is there any evidence from our history that shows that long years in public service automatically translates to good governance and effective economic policy?  Not necessarily.

I am a newcomer, as one might call it. A relative outsider in government and politics. But I think we know that when it comes to serving in Malacañang, there can be tremendous advantages to being new. For starters, one doesn’t carry the baggage that come with long years in politics. No pre-conceptions, no assumptions that you have to work within the system all the time. No allies or subordinates or pet projects that you have to protect or ponder to. Indeed, I can bypass the traditional rituals and practices that bind experienced politicians. One can appoint the best people from outside the usual circles and propose fresh ideas without worrying about whose toes will be stepped on.

To be fair, I am not denying that experience can be valuable but there are more important qualities that I think you might agree a leader should possess, such as integrity, the ability to choose people wisely and the courage to make decisions. Decisions on the basis of principle rather than political expediency. No matter who gets hurt. To paraphrase Warren Buffet, in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities, integrity, intelligence and energy. If you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you. Indeed, if you hire somebody without integrity, you really want that person to be dumb and lazy. But then again, why on Earth would you hire someone without integrity in the first place?

Our most pressing task today is to transition from what has been a promising start on the road to economic prosperity to a path of more inclusive growth. We who brandish diplomas, who have well-paying jobs, and the intellectual and financial capital to take advantage of soaring stock market and property values have enjoyed the benefits of the last six years of uninterrupted economic growth. But out there, one quarter of our population remains unemployed or underemployed, earning less than a dollar twenty-five a day. This represents the highest incidence of poverty in the ASEAN outside of Laos. These people cannot be kept waiting for another six years for the benefits of growth to trickle down. So while granting that we have accomplished much through Daang Matuwid, there’s still much that has to be done.

First and foremost, I will choose my cabinet wisely and according to merit alone. Friendship will not be a criterion neither will be gratitude for favors done. Most of all, political accommodation or party affiliation will not get in the way of doing what is best for the country. I will be happy, for instance, to retain the best performing cabinet secretaries of the current administration. Good managers, after all, are not easy to find. Most of you who own businesses know that. So when one finds people who are doing a good job, why replace them just because the administration has changed? Improvement after all is about fixing only what is broken. On the other hand I see that many of my old classmates from AC [Assumption College] are here tonight. They have been immensely supportive of my campaign and have very good organizational skills. But fortunately, none of them have expressed interest in being in the cabinet.

Second, upon appointing who I believe to be the best people for the job, I will hold them accountable for what they are supposed to deliver. If traffic is unbearable, someone is ultimately responsible and must answer. If bullets are being planted in people’s bags in our airports, someone is ultimately responsible and must answer. If a military or disaster relief operation is a failure, someone is ultimately responsible and must answer. Today, we have situations where no one wants to be held accountable for the suffering and inconveniences the public has to bear due to inaction. Whereas, everyone wants the credit for where there have been triumphs. To the point that the president, who already has so much in his mind, to go out of his way to have to deal with inadequacies of some of his men. It’s like what they say, this is not the definition of a responsive government.

Third, with the help of experts, I’m working on an economic reform package that aims to reduce barriers to investments across a broad spectrum of industries. We need as much investment as we can get to create jobs, not just in call centers, but in blue collar industries like manufacturing, agri-business, and tourism. The components of our policy package include simplifying requirements to starting a business, reducing restrictions on foreign investment, and lowering the cost of doing business. The idea is to democratize economic opportunities, stimulate investment, and make growth more inclusive. To help me formulate a plan on how to dismantle barriers to investment, I have assembled a council of economic advisers, which is composed of non-partisan experts in their respective fields.

People are wondering, who are the people surrounding Grace Poe? Well, you can ask me that later. The members of this council will include people from the academe and business who are well respected for their accomplishments in their respective fields. Anyway, I believe I have taken up more than my 10 or 5 minutes, something that’s allotted to me. And although I may not have given you enough to get to know me as well as you might want, I hope I have at least given you a flavor of how I see things in our country today and what I intend to do, should you give me the honor and privilege of leading you in the next six years. Thank you again for hearing me out. I’m happy to be here and I’m now ready to take your questions.” – Rappler.com