They don’t do motorcades or rallies with thousands of people in attendance. Instead, presidential candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and his running mate Vicente “Tito” Sotto III prefer engaging with people from different sectors of society.
“Ayaw namin ‘nung mga rally. Rally, magku-kwento, magsasalita, pagkatapos hindi niyo man lang narinig kung anong sabi ng taumbayan. Mas gusto po namin ‘yung ganito, nag-di-dialogue po tayo,” Senate president Sotto said during his opening speech.
(We don’t like rallies. Rallies, telling stories, speaking, and then you won’t even hear what our countrymen want to say. We prefer this set-up where we do dialogues.)
The smaller group gatherings enable them to interact with citizens, answer their questions, and ask what they need from the government.
Still, a good number came to the late afternoon town hall-style meeting, composed of elderly women and mothers who brought their children to listen to Lacson, Sotto, and senatorial candidate Guillermo “Guilor” Eleazar, a former police chief like the presidential contender.
The venue of the March 26 event is a residential compound in Brgy. 165, Malibay, Pasay City, so unlike those of rival candidates.
Most of them donned green caps bearing Sotto’s name and face masks printed with the Lacson-Sotto tandem.
Some residents listened from their balconies while the three gentlemen answered questions about resolving the country’s issues. Others took selfies as the tandem spoke on stage.
Town hall meetings
Even before the start of the official campaign period, the tandem has mainly conducted town-hall meetings in different parts of the country. Their method of gaining support from local folks means communicating directly with sectoral groups such as farmers, fisherfolks, and tricycle drivers, among others.
“Gusto namin ito kasi engagement, eh. Nakikita namin kung ano yung situation sa ground, nakikinig kami sa kanila. Kami naman, pinakikinggan din nila. Maraming issues, napakaraming issues ang lumalabas,” Lacson said.
(We prefer this because it’s an engagement. We see the situation on the ground by listening to the people while they also listen to us. Many issues, so many concerns come out.)
“Mas natututo kami sa mga tao, kesa mga tao natututo sa amin kaya nag-eenjoy kami dito sa type ng campaigning,” Lacson added.
(We learn a lot more from the people than they from us, so we enjoy this type of campaigning.)
With a combined legislative experience of 42 years in the Senate (Sotto – 24, Lacson – 18), a frustration they both share is the lack of proper implementation of laws.
They lament that despite passing hundreds of laws intended to benefit the citizenry and the country, many of these have either not been implemented or not properly implemented.
“Pag nilista ninyo ‘yung mga batas na mga ginawa namin na pinakikinabangan po ninyo at ng buong bansa, napakadami po ‘yon… Pero ang tanong, napapatupad ba nang tama? Ayun ang problema namin. Meron kaming mga batas na ginawa, ang tingin namin hindi napapatupad nang tama,” Sotto said.
(When you list down the number of laws that we made that benefit you and the entire country, there are many… The question is: is it properly implemented? That’s our problem. We made laws, but we think they are not properly implemented.)
This frustration pushed them to run for the two highest executive positions to ensure such laws will finally address problems that have besieged the country.
During the Malibay town hall meeting, young mother Erica asked how the candidates would assure the people that they won’t spare their allies involved in corruption . Former fire volunteer and Caloocan barangay chairman Joselito “Tatay 69” Maigue raised the provision of fuel subsidy for fire trucks.
Responding to a question about the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Sotto shared their key platform called Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE).
‘Yung barangay development council, kayo ang magpa-plano ano ang kailangan niyo… Darating sa presidente, ito ang mga pangangailangan ng bansa, at ito ang ibibigay sa Kongreso na ipasa,” he said.
(The barangay development council will plan for your needs, and these will be sent to the president – here’s what the country needs – so the budgetary requirements can be sent to Congress for approval.)
Tatlong Marites
As Sotto and Lacson were discussing their plans and proposals to improve the country, three mothers dubbed as the “Three Marites of Brgy. 165” shouted “Sotto!” and “Iboboto namin ‘yan! (We will vote for him!)” Sotto, a popular comedian and host of the longest-running noontime show before entering politics, waved back smiling.
Of the three women, Alma Parillo was the most vocal supporter of the candidates.
“Maganda ‘yung plataporma ni Sotto at ni Lacson… ‘yung sa budget, sa ekonomiya, sa drugs, at sa lahat ng mga sinasabi nila,” Parillo said.
(Sotto and Lacson have a good platform… on budget, economics, drugs, and everything they said.)
Her friend Kim Espinosa has supported the team even before the March 26 meeting in their neighborhood. She said she was impressed by what she had heard from Sotto.
“Ngayon po, sa narinig ko po sa mga sinasabi niya, hindi ako magdadalawang-isip na may katotohanan sa sinasabi niya. Hindi naman siya magtatagal sa pulitiko kung hindi magaling,” Espinosa said.
(After listening to everything he has said today, I won’t think twice about believing he speaks the truth. He wouldn’t last long in politics if he were not good.)
Like Parillo and Espinosa, Arlene Enriquez, the third in the triumvirate, shared it was her first time seeing Lacson, Sotto, and Eleazar in person.
“Hindi po sila ibang tao (They don’t act differently from us),” Parillo said. “Hindi sila maarte (They aren’t fussy),” Enriquez added.
“At tsaka matapang po sila. Nakikita ko pong pursigido sila sa ating bansa (And they are fearless. I see that they’re motivated [to serve] our country” Espinosa elaborated.
Espinosa expressed hope that Lacson and Sotto would keep their promises if elected president and vice president on May 9 to address the plight of the poor like them.
“Sana mabigyan po kami ng boses na marinig po nila ang amin pong saloobin bilang isang nanay, kung ano man ang aming kahilingan, sana maibigay din po nila,” Espinosa said.
(I wish we would finally have a chance to speak out, make our inner thoughts as mothers be known, and be provided with the things we need. I hope they can grant us that.)
Comedic touch
A skilled television host, Sotto usually starts with a joke to better engage the crowd before turning serious.
He had the Pasay audience in stitches while comparing his looks to that of youngest brother Vic, who is likewise an accomplished comedian and host like him.
“Pagbaba ko doon, may sumalubong sa akin babae, maganda, hinila ‘yung polo shirt ko. Pagkatapos tinanggal ‘yung mask ko, binanatan ako ng halik. Okay lang ‘yon. E kaso alam mo sabi? ‘Wow! Ang pogi ni Vic!” he said.
(A beautiful woman approached me as I got out of my car and tugged at my polo shirt. Then she removed my mask and kissed me. That’s okay. But you know what she said? ‘Wow! Vic is so handsome!’)
To differentiate himself from his brother, Sotto said: “Si Tito, isa lang asawa; si Vic, marami. Teka, baka nga mas pogi sa akin ‘yon, madaming asawa e. Pero isa na lang ngayon.”
(Tito only has one wife, Vic has a lot. Wait, maybe he is more handsome than me, he has a lot of wives. But he only has one now.)
With the audience focused on him, the long-time senator turned serious and delivered an inspiring message.
“Ang pag-asa po natin ay bukas… At sa maraming Pilipino, ang bukas maraming ibig sabihin. Sa mga mahihina ang loob, ang bukas hindi maaabot. Sa mga matatakutin, ang bukas hindi alam. Pero sa mga matatapang, ang bukas ay pagkakataon,” Sotto said.
(Our hope is in the future. The future means different things for many Filipinos. For the weak, it is unattainable. For the timid, it is unknown. But for those with courage, the future is an opportunity.)
Appeal and announcement
The former police chief, meanwhile, appealed to his audience to give him the same support when he ran for the Senate in 2016. He topped the senatorial list in Pasay then. The now-independent candidate also pushed for his running mate and Eleazar, a first-time candidate.
Lacson took the opportunity to announce some good news to the barangay residents, specifically tricycle drivers. As one of the authors of the Bayanihan II law, he explained there is a provision that this sector, initially left out from fuel subsidies in case of a jump in oil prices, was now eligible to receive from 2,000 to 4,000 pesos subsidy.
He urged them to immediately enlist with village officials, who will submit the list to the Department of Interior and Local Government for validation and forwarded to the Land Transportation and Franchising Board, so they can receive the subsidy.
The team urged their audience to ignore what appears to be their poor showing in surveys. Instead, Lacson and Sotto said they expected people to carefully choose leaders who can better run the government that will be responsive to people’s needs.
