Liberal Party presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas II (left) answers questions in a media interview during the Team Daang Matuwid’s campaign sortie at Alubijid municipality, Misamis Oriental province on Wednesday (April 13, 2016). (PNA photos by Jess M. Escaros Jr.)
MANILA, Apr 14 (Mabuhay) – Despite trailing in the pre-election surveys, administration standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Thursday said he will win in the presidential race come May 9.
Addressing his Liberal Party party-mates in and allies who gathered at Club Filipino in San Juan, Roxas said: “Magtiwala tayo sa ating mga kababayan dahil pipiliin nila ang tama. Tayo ang mananalo.”
“Mananalo tayo dahil hindi tayo corrupt, mananalo tayo dahil hindi tayo astang diktador, at mananalo tayo dahil tayo ay Pilipino. Marangal tayo, disente tayo, tayo ang mananalo,” Roxas added in what could be taken as potshots to his opponents.
Roxas is statistically tied with Vice President Jejomar Binay in the latest Pulse Asia survey that showed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte pulling away from Senator Grace Poe to gain the top spot.
Roxas also reiterated his campaign promises from modern infrastructure to improved social services, including the addition of two million poor households as beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
All the senatorial candidates of the Daang Matuwid coalition were present except for Senator Panfilo Lacson.
Most of the governors who are allied with the administration flew in to Manila to attend the said gathering to personally pledge their support for the tandem of Roxas and Rep. Leni Robredo.
“’Wag kayo maniwalang mababa tayo sa survey. After eleksyon, makikita niyo panalo tayo,” Oriental Mindoro Governor Reynaldo Umali said.
Former Albay congressman Edcel Lagman, who used to be a close political ally of former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, pointed out that the respondents in surveys represent only one-half of one percent of the total population.
“Ang tunay na survey ay mangyayari sa May 9,” Lagman said as Roxas continues to trail behind three of his opponents, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Southern Leyte Governor Roger Mercado, for his part, cited the projects given by the Aquino administration to provinces.
“It’s about time na ‘yung mga natanggap nating 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program), PhilHealth, maraming imprastruktura, scholars, ngayon na tayo magbayad sa mga taong nagbigay sa ‘tin ng proyekto. Let’s vote for Mar and Leni,” Mercado said.
Geraldine Roman, a transgender and LP candidate for the congressional district of Bataan, meanwhile took an apparent swipe against Duterte during the gathering.
“When you are running for the presidency, you have to serve all of us. Hindi lamang ‘yung so-called macho at babaero. You have to serve all of us including the LGBTs,” she said.
Vice President Binay was also not spared in the gathering after Social Welfare Secretay Corazon Soliman criticized his plan to expand the 4Ps.
“Bakit tayo makikinig sa mga nangangako na walang ginawa kung hindi batikusin ang programa tapos ngayon ipagpapatuloy pala?” Soliman, whose agency supervises over the implementation of the 4Ps program, said.(MNS)