Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 20) – Some presidential candidates on Saturday highlighted their public service experience, with others placing emphasis on their personal story of overcoming poverty, as they again tried to convince voters to support them on May 9.
In their final message during the Commission on Elections (Comelec) first presidential debate, Senator Ping Lacson and Vice President Leni Robredo touted their track records in government while stressing the importance of having a competent leader to run the state.
Both also appeared to have taken a swipe at former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, the only presidential bet who skipped the Comelec debate.
“Among all the presidential aspirants, narito man o laging absent, walang sinuman kundi ako ang sadya at aktwal na nagsugal ng sariling buhay sa pagligtas sa panganib ng sinuman,” said Lacson, a former national police chief.
[Translation: Among all the presidential aspirants – either present now or is always absent – I’m the only one who willfully and actually risked his life to save someone in danger.]
Robredo, the lone female candidate, meanwhile said the public should elect a leader who always chooses to show up.
“‘Wag na nating hanapin ang ayaw namang humarap sa atin. Lahat na oras nandito po ako, hinaharap kayo, ipinapakipaglaban kayo. True leaders show up and man up. Kaya po sa darating na Mayo the best man for the job is a woman,” she said.
[Translation: Let’s not look for someone who doesn’t want to face us. At all times, I am here to face you and fight for you. True leaders show up and man up. That’s why this coming May, the best man for the job is a woman,”
Meanwhile, Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno recalled having lived in poverty as they reiterated their vows to help provide Filipinos better opportunities.
Moreno said what the country needs is a “crisis manager,” a role he believes he is fit for after working as a garbage collector as a child, as well as a “sidecar boy.” Pacquiao, on the other hand, committed to never resort to corruption and promised to prioritize the poor.
For their final message, labor leader Leody de Guzman and former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales urged voters to choose a leader who truly favors the interests of the Filipino people, even if that is a lesser-known candidate.
“Hindi sapat na magpalit ng mukha ng pangulo sa Malacañang. Ang kinakailangan natin ay baguhin talaga ang sistema ng ating gobyerno, ang mga batas at patakaran na nagle-legalize sa kahirapan ng milyun-milyong mamamayan,” De Guzman said.
[Translation: It’s not enough to just change the president in Malacañang. We need to change the system of government, the laws and policies that legalize the poverty of millions of our countrymen. ]
For his part, former presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella stressed the importance of inclusive governance, particularly to ensure the marginalized are not further exploited by the powerful few.
Businessman Faisal Mangondato, on the other hand, reiterated his promise to help solve societal ills by pushing for a federal form of government.
Lawyer and doctor Jose Montemayor, Jr. meanwhile promised a “godly leadership” if elected president. He also vowed to abolish the Inter-Agency Task Force and scrap policies that deny service to those not yet vaccinated against COVID-19.
