MANILA, Philippines — Former Interior Secretary and senatorial candidate Mar Roxas has assured that he is serious with the campaign, amid issues surrounding his absence in the Otso Diretso campaign sorties.
Roxas made the remark in an ambush interview at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 3 on Monday, when he and his wife, broadcaster Korina Sanchez, arrived from the United States with their newborn twins.
“Jetlag pero (but) soon enough, because sineseryoso ko rin naman (I’m serious). Because you can’t take things for granted,” Roxas said after he was asked how he plans to transition back into campaigning.
He said his newborn children are important, but he stressed that his Senate bid is also essential.
“Importante sila (twins) pero importante rin ang pinaglalaban natin sa kampanya (They are important but what we are fighting for in the campaign is also important),” he added.
In the latest Pulse Asia survey, Roxas was the only Otso Diretso candidate in the Magic 12; he was in the ninth spot. The opposition bet ranked nearest to him is reelectionist Senator Bam Aquino (15th spot).
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The couple announced in an Instagram post last February 21 the birth of their twins named Pepe and Pilar. Later, they revealed that they opted for gestational surrogacy, a procedure where an embryo is created through in vitro fertilization before being implanted in the womb of a surrogate mom.
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In the thick of the campaign, many observers noticed that Roxas either organized his own sorties or skipped Otso Diretso events.
Since the filing of the certificate of candidacies in October 2018, Roxas has only joined the slate twice — in a pre-campaign period sortie in his hometown in Roxas City in Capiz and the kick-off rally in Naga City, Camarines Sur.
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Roxas’ party-mates had defended him, saying that he usually starts the campaign in his hometown; hence, he missed the first sortie in Caloocan City. They also noted that had Roxas joined the other Otso Diretso sorties, the attention of the public may be focused on him, leaving the lesser-known candidates a smaller chance to be noticed.
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Some also hinted that looking after the twins may be his reason for skipping events. Roxas explained that the return of his twins to the Philippines from the US was delayed because they need to wait for their immune system to develop.
“So kinailangan na magtagal pa ng konti doon para mabigyan pa ng vaccination (So they stayed there longer to get vaccinations),” the former senator said.
“So sa lahat ng mga nanay, lalo na mga may priming na tinatawag antayin ninyo yung pagka vaccinate or bakuna (So for mothers, you have to wait until they are vaccinated),” he added. /ee