Zambales Representative Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
PANGASINAN, Philippines – The true test of a Catholic vote during the midterm elections will be the victory of a lawmaker who sees herself as some relatively unknown senatorial candidate.
“Nobody knows me. If I win, that proves that there is a Catholic vote,” Zambales Representative Mitos Magsaysay told reporters on Thursday.
As candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), she said that she has observed how crowds at the opposition’s campaign rallies went silent when her turn to speak came.
“When I start talking, they don’t know me but by the end of my speech I get cheers from the crowd. [You cannot tell me] that there is no conversion there,” she said.
Known for her feisty attitude, the representative from Zambales has brought her fiery speeches in UNA rallies.
She ignored taunts from pro-Reproductive Health netizens and belittled the “purple vote” or the vote of supporters of the contentious RH Law.
Magsaysay, an ally of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, saw the Catholic vote as having bigger potential and maintained she was not worried about pro-RH supporters’ criticisms.
“If it is Senator Sotto (who is most criticized) in the Senate, I’m the most bashed at the House of Representatives,” she said.
The Zambales legislator has been endorsed by the White Vote Movement, led by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde.
But this endorsement would be Velarde’s biggest challenge yet, said Magsaysay.
The White Vote Movement endorsed UNA candidates Magsaysay, San Juan Representative JV Ejercito Estrada, Senator Gregorio Honasan, and Team PNoy’s former Las Piñas Representative Cynthia Villar, and Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Aquilino Pimentel III.
Five of them were part of the Magic 12, leaving Magsaysay as the lone bet being endorsed by the said movement who was outside the top 12 list.
“I’m the only one from outside that list. I’m sure this will be a challenge to Brother Mike,” she said.