Ex-VP Binay: Focus on programs to rebuild country, stop negative rhetoric

Former Vice President and senatorial aspirant Jejomar Binay. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Former Vice President and senatorial aspirant Jejomar Binay on Monday asked candidates and their supporters to tone down the negative rhetoric and focus on presenting programs to rebuild the country from the effects of the pandemic.

“Partisan politics should take a backseat to the urgent task of rebuilding the country. We need to work together after the elections, but we cannot do that if the atmosphere has been poisoned by malice and animosity,” Binay said.

Binay said the heated political exchanges, both in public and in social media, have reached a point where even family members are being maligned.

“Maging ang mga mahal sa buhay ng mga kandidato ay sinisiraan lalo na sa social media. Nakakalungkot po ito, at dapat ihinto na,” he said.

The former vice president asked for a more positive tone among candidates and their supporters in the closing weeks of the campaign period.

“Hiling ko lang ay itigil na ang palitan ng mapanirang salita sa nalalabing araw ng kampanya,” he said.

“Hindi pa huli para gawin nating positibo ang tono ng ating pangangampanya,” he added.

Binay, who is running for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), said the focus should be on what needs to be done to help sectors affected by the pandemic.

“The coming years will not be easy, and it is important that we never lose our focus on what needs to be done to improve the lives of our countrymen who have been displaced by the pandemic,” Binay said.

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