Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The ruling Liberal Party (LP) and the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) both said on Saturday (August 15) that they will have a lineup of candidates by next month.
LP’s Caloocan Rep. Edgar “Egay” Erice said the the administration party was still waiting for Sen. Grace Poe to agree to be their vice president — but only until mid-September.
“By September 14, we will have to decide. If she decides to run as president, then that would be the time to look for another,” Erice said.
Related: LP has other options for vice presidential candidate
Likewise, UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan said the opposition still had no running mate yet for Vice President Jejomar Binay for next year’s polls.
“Ang in-charge dyan ay ang selection committee headed by Toby Tiangco. The deadline is Sept. 30, complete na lineup by then,” Ilagan said.
However, Ilagan said the list of possible VP bets had already been narrowed down — from five to three names.
“I can’t say who,” he said.
Related: Binay wants Miriam as VP
Meanwhile, Erice said LP’s senatorial lineup would have three incumbent senators — Ralph Recto, Franklin Drilon and Teofisto “TG” Guingona III.
He added that many had been signifying their intention to join the slate.
“Pero ang decision ay na kina Roxas at PNoy,” Erice said.
[Translation: “But the decision lies with (Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar”) Roxas and PNoy (President Benigno Aquino III).”]
Erice also managed to take a swipe at the administration’s critics by saying that LP’s platform would not go into trapo (traditional) or “patronage” politics by focusing on social services — and not just by giving out birthday cakes or funeral wreaths.
For his part, Ilagan countered that UNA would make sure public funds would trickle down to regional, provincial and municipal levels — and would not be just stuck in Malacañan or the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Ilagan said that what UNA would aim for was to duplicate in the whole country what VP Binay had done in Makati.
