Vice presidential candidate Francis Pangilinan (Screenshot from DZRH News Facebook page)
MANILA – Vice presidential candidate Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Friday expressed confidence that candidates who even ranked at the bottom of election surveys can emerge as winners.
"Noong 2016, yung number 4 sa survey noon March ay nanalo. Si Duterte yon. Pero pagdating ng May, number 1 na s'ya. Noon 2010 si Binay sa vice presidential race number 4 sya, 17 percent lang sya... so hindi ibig sabihin dahil ikaw ay huli sa survey... in fact sa nakaraang dalawang eleksyon yung mga huli sa survey noon March ang naging presidente at bise presidente," Pangilinan said in a radio interview.
(In March 2016, Duterte ranked number 4 in the survey, yet he won. He ranked first in May. In 2010, Binay ranked fourth in the vice presidential race, with only about 17 percent. Just because you ranked last in the survey doesn't mean you will not win. In fact, in the last two elections, those who ranked last in surveys won in the presidential and vice presidential races.)
He continued that his team is seeing the momentum, as more and more people are coming to their political rallies. "Our (ranking) in the surveys is also going up," he said in a mixture of Filipino and English.
"Alam mo since 1986 wala pa ako nakitang ganoong kadaming dagsa ng tao at ganoong klase ng level energy pag eleksyon. Ngayon lang. (I have not seen the same volume of people, the same level of energy during elections since 1986)," Pangilinan said, referring to the massive support they are getting during campaign sorties.
He added that some individuals are afraid to tell the truth in surveys, thus the figures are not that accurate.
"In the end, it is still the Filipino people who will decide... The power is still in their hands, and I urge them to use this power to attain a brighter future," he said.
Pangilinan, likewise, called on the public to ensure they will be able to vote.
His call comes after a number of voters have raised concern that they could not find their names in the voter finder list of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
"Verify that from the Comelec or your precinct," he said. (PNA)
