Senate President Franklin Drilon, when describing the Liberal Party's plans for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas in 2016, told the media in January 2013 that "so far as the LP is concerned, [and] in so far as I am concerned, we believe that he is best qualified for 2016."
Two years later, Drilon told DZIQ AM radio that Roxas had expressed his interest internally within the party.
Several Liberal Party stalwarts had by then expressed that Roxas should declare his intentions at that time, with some such as Budget Secretary Florencio Abad suggesting that Roxas may slide down to run for the vice presidency again.

In the months leading up to Roxas' campaign launch, Senator Grace Poe emerged in opinion polling as a leading presidential candidate.
Similar to Roxas' Senate victory in 2004, Poe, who was part of Aquino's mid-term Senate slate, had received the highest number of votes in the 2013 Senate election and was immediately seen as a potential presidential nominee of the Liberal-led coalition.
In the Pulse Asia opinion poll conducted between May 30 and June 5, 2015, Poe emerged as the front-runner in the choice for president, overtaking Vice President Binay for the first time, who consistently had a commanding lead over the other candidates, including Roxas, ever since he announced his own presidential candidacy in 2011.
Roxas' often dismal showing in opinion polls emboldened some members of the Liberal Party to call on Aquino to endorse Poe as his preferred candidate instead.

Between May and July 2015, President Aquino held various talks with Roxas, Poe and Senator Francis Escudero, including a July meeting with all three present at Bahay Pangarap, Aquino's official residence in the Malacañang Palace complex, to discuss their plans for the upcoming election.
Poe and Escudero, both independents but allied with Aquino, had hinted at running for president and vice president, separate from the Liberal Party, prior to the meeting.
Aquino expressed his wish in having a "united ticket" and that the broad coalition that had helped elect him in 2010 would remain intact, although according to Poe, there were "no specific commitments or positions mentioned."
Aquino last met with Poe on July 20, 2015, a meeting that lasted for five hours.
Many members of the Liberal Party have publicly stated their desire for Poe to run as Roxas' vice presidential candidate.

President Aquino delivered his final State of the Nation Address before a joint session of the Congress of the Philippines on July 27, 2015.
During his speech, Aquino publicly praised Roxas for his accomplishments as Interior Secretary, which was seen as a prelude to a possible endorsement from him.
To the raucous cheers and applause of members of Congress, the widescreens inside the Batasang Pambansa showed a live shot of Binay, Poe and Roxas together as Aquino discussed the 2016 election.
Speculation had been mounting prior to the speech that Aquino would announce his choice for president shortly after.

Days after Aquino's speech, officials from both Malacañang and the Liberal Party, notably Rep. Edgar Erice, the Liberal Party's chairman for Political Affairs, confirmed that Aquino would anoint Roxas as his possible successor "before the end of the week."
Sources from the Liberal Party told the media that the event would take place on July 31, 2015 at the Club Filipino in San Juan, the same venue where Aquino and Roxas had begun their campaigns for the presidency and vice presidency in 2010.

On July 31, 2015, Roxas officially launched his presidential campaign at Club Filipino before supporters and political allies.
In a speech during which he formally endorsed Roxas as his preferred successor, Aquino laid out his reasons for supporting him, citing his "integrity" and commitment to "real change."
He also took the opportunity to blast critics whom he accused of leading an organized campaign to discredit Roxas, especially during the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda. "
My bosses, I am telling you now," Aquino concluded, "who, in my opinion, has proven his worth and has integrity; the
Senate President Franklin Drilon, when describing the Liberal Party's plans for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas in 2016, told the media in January 2013 that "so far as the LP is concerned, [and] in so far as I am concerned, we believe that he is best qualified for 2016." Two years later, Drilon told DZIQ AM radio that Roxas had expressed his interest internally within the party. Several Liberal Party stalwarts had by then expressed that Roxas should declare his intentions at that time, with some such as Budget Secretary Florencio Abad suggesting that Roxas may slide down to run for the vice presidency again.
In the months leading up to Roxas' campaign launch, Senator Grace Poe emerged in opinion polling as a leading presidential candidate. Similar to Roxas' Senate victory in 2004, Poe, who was part of Aquino's mid-term Senate slate, had received the highest number of votes in the 2013 Senate election and was immediately seen as a potential presidential nominee of the Liberal-led coalition. In the Pulse Asia opinion poll conducted between May 30 and June 5, 2015, Poe emerged as the front-runner in the choice for president, overtaking Vice President Binay for the first time, who consistently had a commanding lead over the other candidates, including Roxas, ever since he announced his own presidential candidacy in 2011. Roxas' often dismal showing in opinion polls emboldened some members of the Liberal Party to call on Aquino to endorse Poe as his preferred candidate instead.
Between May and July 2015, President Aquino held various talks with Roxas, Poe and Senator Francis Escudero, including a July meeting with all three present at Bahay Pangarap, Aquino's official residence in the Malacañang Palace complex, to discuss their plans for the upcoming election. Poe and Escudero, both independents but allied with Aquino, had hinted at running for president and vice president, separate from the Liberal Party, prior to the meeting. Aquino expressed his wish in having a "united ticket" and that the broad coalition that had helped elect him in 2010 would remain intact, although according to Poe, there were "no specific commitments or positions mentioned." Aquino last met with Poe on July 20, 2015, a meeting that lasted for five hours. Many members of the Liberal Party have publicly stated their desire for Poe to run as Roxas' vice presidential candidate.
President Aquino delivered his final State of the Nation Address before a joint session of the Congress of the Philippines on July 27, 2015. During his speech, Aquino publicly praised Roxas for his accomplishments as Interior Secretary, which was seen as a prelude to a possible endorsement from him. To the raucous cheers and applause of members of Congress, the widescreens inside the Batasang Pambansa showed a live shot of Binay, Poe and Roxas together as Aquino discussed the 2016 election. Speculation had been mounting prior to the speech that Aquino would announce his choice for president shortly after.
Days after Aquino's speech, officials from both Malacañang and the Liberal Party, notably Rep. Edgar Erice, the Liberal Party's chairman for Political Affairs, confirmed that Aquino would anoint Roxas as his possible successor "before the end of the week." Sources from the Liberal Party told the media that the event would take place on July 31, 2015 at the Club Filipino in San Juan, the same venue where Aquino and Roxas had begun their campaigns for the presidency and vice presidency in 2010.
On July 31, 2015, Roxas officially launched his presidential campaign at Club Filipino before supporters and political allies. In a speech during which he formally endorsed Roxas as his preferred successor, Aquino laid out his reasons for supporting him, citing his "integrity" and commitment to "real change." He also took the opportunity to blast critics whom he accused of leading an organized campaign to discredit Roxas, especially during the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda. "My bosses, I am telling you now," Aquino concluded, "who, in my opinion, has proven his worth and has integrity; the 
Mar Roxas 2016 presidential campaign