A woman leans over to consult her husband as they vote at a basketball gym used as a voting center in Manila during the 2013 midterm elections. AP
“As the seasoned politicians always say, the most important survey is the one taken on the day of the election.”
This was what deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Friday when asked to comment on recent preference polls for presidential bets in 2016, which showed front-runner Sen. Grace Poe ahead of the administration coalition’s standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.
Noting that the battle for 2016 was “just starting,” Valte said Roxas’ popularity in pre-election surveys may still surge owing to the endorsement of President Benigno Aquino III.
“As for the moment, we’ve always believed that the President’s endorsement carries much weight and that nagsisimula pa rin po. Nagsisimula lang din po ’yung laban para sa Mayo,” Valte said.
“As far as the President is concerned, because he also has a personal stake in the elections in the sense that he wants his work to continue, he will pour the same passion into making sure or to letting people know na dapat manatili po tayo doon sa ‘daang matuwid,’” she added.
Poe, who officially announced her presidential bid on Wednesday, topped both Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia Surveys for presidential candidates in next year’s polls. A recent survey conducted by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s Magdalo group also showed that the senator would be a runaway winner even in a 10-way fight in 2016.
READ: Poe runaway winner even in 10-way fight, Magdalo survey shows
Asked about speculations that Aquino was “secretly supporting” Poe, Valte maintained that the President had only one candidate.
“How would I react? I think the President has a very clear answer to that. Isa lang po ang inendorso ng Pangulong Aquino, ’di ba? Alam naman po natin kung sino ‘yun,” Valte said.
‘Platform over personality’
Highlighting the importance of platform-based politics over personalities, Valte said the ruling Liberal Party was not threatened by reports that some of its members were jumping to the Nationalist People’s Coalition, as shifts in political parties always happen during election period.
Individual members of NPC, the country’s second largest political party, have expressed support for the candidacies of Poe and her running mate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
“’Yung thrust kasi ng Pangulo, ’yung hindi na personality politics … kailangan plataporma ’yung pinag-uusapan natin. And also, if you look at the history of every major election that we’ve had, you will always see shifts in the landscape of your political parties,” Valte said.
“You see that in every election. But what is important for the President and his chosen candidate is that they continue to argue and to discuss based on programs, policies, et cetera at kung bakit dapat ituloy,” she added. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RC
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