Lacson says he won converts in ‘Leni country’

MANILA, Philippines — Independent presidential candidate Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson believed he has won over new supporters in some parts of Bicol by listening to his audience and addressing their concerns.

Lacson said the audience at their town hall meeting in Catanduanes became enthusiastic after noticing he and senatorial bet Minguita Padilla listened to the audience’s problems.

“Initially, there seemed to be little response in our town hall meeting. But after the open forum, something really changed. The situation was reversed. So we would like to think there was a conversion,” Lacson said in Filipino at a press conference in Naga City.

They even had to extend the town hall meeting by 30 to 45 minutes because of the additional engagement from the audience.

“As it turned out, we won over some converts and that was very evident in Catanduanes,” he added.

For her part, Padilla said some members of the audience wearing pink masks even followed them to their cars after the meeting. “Nag-switch na kami (We’re switching to you),” she recalled them saying.

In a second town hall event in Naga City, Lacson noted the audience stayed until the last minute.

When asked if this gave him hope, he said, “Definitely.”

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