VICE PRESIDENTIAL bet Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Thursday said majority of his partymates at the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) are supportive of his tandem with Partido Reporma standard-bearer and fellow Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson.
"Majority. I can say definitely majority. Hindi pa kami nagmi-meeting nyan sa kabuuan (we have yet to meet as a whole) I can give you a good percentage after the meeting that (we're) setting and this has the blessing of all my backers at the NPC," Sotto said during a press conference on Thursday.
Sotto said the meeting of the NPC's 1,538 incumbent officials will take place by next week.
"At the very least about 75 percent, at least 75 percent. I'll be very blunt about this when I talk to my party mates, ang magiging (my) appeal ko sa (to my) party mates, is that either we support the Lacson-Sotto tandem or don't support any other presidential (bet), the party will not support any other presidential candidate. It's either Senator Lacson or wala, kung ayaw nila (or no one if they won't support him). Ganun ang magiging appeal ko (that will be my appeal)," he added.
In the same briefing, Lacson said he is not discouraged by his low rankings on presidential surveys.
"I've been through a lot, all my life. I'm not discouraged (when) I'm assigned a mission, I will pursue that mission to the hilt. Kahit anong mangyari, (whatever happens) sabi ko nga eh (Like what I said) winning or losing this mission in May, is both a blessing for me. Either way, blessing yung tingin ko dun eh (as I see it). Blessing na may (with) sacrifice pag nanalo (if we win) blessing for my family, friends, and supporters pag natalo (even if we lose)," he said.
Lacson said that if Filipinos keep voting for the wrong leaders, they might as well apologize to their children and future generations, who will bear the brunt of the effects of the wrong decisions and policies these leaders will make.
“Bakit tayo mahirap? Bakit hindi tayo umaasenso? Dahil ang binoboto natin 'yun ang namemerwisyo. (Why are we poor? Why are we not prospering? Because we vote for those who bring us trouble). Kaya po uulitin ko, kapag tayo pumili hindi lang pagkapangulo, hindi lang pagka pangalawang pangulo, 'yung manunungkulan sa Senado, 'yung manunungkulan sa Kongreso, 'yung manunungkulan sa mga lokal na pamahalaan, pumili po tayong mabuti (That’s why it bears repeating, when we vote, not just for President, not just for Vice President or those who will serve in the Senate, or serve in Congress, even those who serve in local government, let us choose wisely)," he added.
Lacson said he is not discouraged and will not be disheartened no matter how mainstream surveys keep projecting his numbers as low and unchanging because the latest results have yet to factor in the performances of candidates in recent and future debates.
He added that he is keeping a positive outlook regardless of the apparent hype that opinion polls are building around other popular candidates every election period.
The veteran lawmaker expressed that pre-election surveys are not the be-all and end-all, insofar as the presidential race is concerned, because he believes that political debates, which are yet to happen in the middle of the campaign period, can still change the electoral landscape.
“I think the presidential forums and interviews will change things based on the feedback, based on the congratulatory messages that I’ve been receiving; and these surveys, I think, were conducted before those interviews. Kasi magkakaroon ng (Because there will be) comparison,” Lacson said.
If the numbers won’t change even after the forums, however, the presidential aspirant said he is not going to be bitter about it.
Lacson said he has already prepared himself to face whatever consequences as soon as he made the decision to run for president in the 2022 elections.
Lacson also maintained that he and Sotto, along with the key members of their senatorial slate, would keep their campaigns focused on the most pressing issues faced by the nation by explaining to the public their reform-oriented platforms.
The tandem is pushing advocacies of good governance and fighting corruption through their battle cries “Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino” (Fix the Government, Fix the Lives of Every Filipino) and “Uubusin ang Magnanakaw” (Get Rid of All Thieves). (Priam Nepomuceno and Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)
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