Robredo among LP’s choices to run for president in 2022 – Pangilinan

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo is among those being considered to run as Liberal Party’s (LP) presidential candidate for the 2022 elections, the political party’s president said Thursday.

But Senator Francis Pangilinan, LP president, emphasized that the party is yet to make its final decision on the matter because they are currently focused on helping the Covid-19 pandemic response.

“Siya ay mataas na opisyal ng partido at pinakamataas na elected official ng partido so she (Robredo) is also being considered,” Pangilinan told reporters in an online interview when asked if Robredo is being considered as the party’s standard-bearer for the 2022 polls.

(She is a top official in the party and is the highest-elected official in the party, so she is also being considered.)

Being the highest elected official in the party, Robredo serves as LP’s chairperson.

“But she herself has said na wala siyang desisyon, marami pang pwedeng mangyari but in the meantime, we just focus on how we can help address this pandemic and the economic crisis,” he added.

(But she herself has said that she has no decision yet, there’s still a lot that can happen but in the meantime we just focus on how we can help address this pandemic and the economic crisis.)

“Hindi pa namin pinaguusapan kung sino ang magiging kandidato, wala pang nagdedesisyon sa amin ukol diyan. Ang nakatutok talaga, halimbawa si Vice President, is ‘yung problema ng Covid, ‘yung kanyang mga initiative kung paano matulungan ang ating mga kababayan sa usapin ng frontliners, sa usapin ng hanapbuhay, ‘yung mga consumers, ‘yung mga vendors,” Pangilinan further said.

(We have yet to discuss who will be our candidate, no one among us has decided on it yet. What we are focused on, like the Vice President, is on the Covid problem, her initiative to aid frontliners, the issue of bringing back jobs, to help consumers, vendors.)

Pangilinan said political issues “can wait” as the country struggles to bounce back from the economic impact of the pandemic. He then expressed hopes that LP will be able to show a “good performance” that would garner the support of the voting public.

“I understand there are some groups that are already discussing 2022, OK ‘yon. Let them start. Sa atin naman, I think ultimately, 2022 is really all about voters, so tayo sa Liberal Party, tuloy-tuloy lang ang ating recruitment sa baba, pagtulong sa ating komunidad para malagpasan itong Covid,” he said.

(I understand there are some groups that are already discussing 2022, that’s OK. Let them start. For us,  I think ultimately, 2022 is really all about voters, so for us in the Liberal Party, we just continue our recruitment in the grassroots, help in our community to survive this Covid pandemic.)

“Hopefully, if we are able to show a good performance then voters will remember that and will support us, so ‘yun ang ginagawa natin sa ngayon, tutukan itong Covid response as best we can at tulungan natin dahil ‘yun naman din ang concern ng ating mga kababayan at lalu na nga itong mga economic issue. Ito muna ang harapin natin ngayon, yung political issues can wait,” he added.

(Hopefully, if we are able to show a good performance then voters will remember that and will support us, so that’s what we are doing, focus on the Covid response as best we can and help because that’s also the concern of our countrymen especially the economic issues. We’ll tackle this first now, political issues can wait.)

Pangilinan, meanwhile, encouraged the public to register with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), as it has missed its target of 4 million new registered voters.

KGA