Pangilinan asks supporters to convince more voters to back Kiko-Bam

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Around a week before the May 12 midterm elections, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan called on supporters on Saturday to convince more people to consider him and fellow former senator Bam Aquino in their senatorial picks.

Pangilinan said the last week of the campaign is crucial, hence the need for more support.

“The last seven days of the campaign, kailangan pa rin natin ikampanya ang Kiko-Bam…Dahil mahigpit ang laban, bawat boto ay mahalaga. Kaya hanggang sa May 10, mula bukas, dapat tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang house-to-house…tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang pagpunta sa mga palengke para kumbinsihin ang ating mga kababayan sa Kiko-Bam…Kausapin din ang mga kaibigan, ang mga kaklase, ang mga katrabaho, ang mga kapitbahay,” he said during a campaign rally.

(The last seven days of the campaign, we still need to campaign for Kiko-Bam…Because the fight is tough, every vote counts. So, starting tomorrow until May 10, we must continue house-to-house…we must continue going to the markets to convince our countrymen about Kiko-Bam…We must also talk to our friends, classmates, co-workers, and neighbors.)

“Dahil ang pinaka-impluwensyal talaga ay hindi itong social media, kung hindi ang bawat isa sa personal na pag-uusap.”

(Because what's really most influential is not social media, but rather each person's personal conversation.)

Both Aquino and Pangilinan are in the 10-18 bracket in the recent survey conducted by OCTA Research. Aquino had a voter preference of 32.3% while Pangilinan garnered 30.3%.

Pangilinan said that the country's future is at stake in the coming elections.

“Hindi biro ang nakataya sa darating na halalan—kinabukasan ng ating bansa, direksyon kung saan nais itong dalhin [...] Kayo rin ang magsasabi kung sino ang hindi dapat maupo,” he said.

(What is at stake in the upcoming elections is no joke—it’s the future of our country, the direction it wants to take [...] You too will be the ones to say who should not be elected.)

“Sa hanay ng kabataan, lagi kaming nananalo. Lagi kaming unang choice ni Bam. Subalit kung kabataan lang ang boboto, panalo na kami. Ngunit hindi pa ‘yun tiyak ika nga dahil marami pang kailangan kumbinsihin,” Pangilinan added.

(Among the youth, we always win. Bam and I are your first choice. But if only the youth vote, we will surely win. But that is not certain yet because there is still a lot to convince.)

Pangilinan’s wife, actress Sharon Cuneta, told supporters to do their research first before voting for anyone.

“You are smart to know what is true and what is not. Hindi porket gwapo iboboto. Hindi porket sikat, iboboto….Okay lang kung karapat dapat, kayo na ang mag-decide nun. But do your research, please,” she said.

(You are smart to know what is true and what is not. Not because someone is handsome, you will already vote for them. Not because someone is popular, they already deserve your vote…. It's okay if they really deserve it; you decide on that. But do your research, please.)

During his trip to Mindanao, Pangilinan also visited Marawi City and Sultan Kudarat, where he received the support of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, a group connected to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. —VBL, GMA Integrated News

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