INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said the public’s focus at this time should not be on the prospective candidates in the coming 2022 national elections but on the registration of voters.
In a statement, Pangilinan said candidates will ultimately be known come October when they file their candidacies at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and it’s now better to use the time to encourage people to get registered.
“We’ll know soon enough by October kung sino ang mga tatakbo talaga (who the candidates will be). But for now, the focus should be on encouraging more people to register to vote,” said Pangilinan, the Liberal Party president.
He added that the public only has to wait whether former senator Antonio Trillanes will run for president under the Liberal Party or if Vice President Leni Robredo seeks a local government position.
“Number one, VP Leni has denied that she has decided to run for governor [of Camarines Sur]. Number two, senator Trillanes clarified that he is going to pursue it [the presidency] if Vice President Leni decides not to. Sa akin (for me), let’s wait and see,” said Pangilinan.
“Wala pa naman ang desisyon kaya abangan (there’s no decision yet, so let’s just wait and see).”
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said around 2.8 million voters have already registered and that the goal of the poll body is to have 4 million new voters for 2022.
Pangilinan added that with Comelec setting a goal, it should also be imperative that COVID-19 response be improved as well.
“This is all the more reason we should ramp up our COVID response to test, trace, isolate. And hasten vaccine roll-outs so we can ensure that our citizens are one, safer from the pandemic and two, able to exercise their democratic rights. The 2022 elections, after all, will elect leaders who will see us through post-pandemic recovery,” said Pangilinan.