Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday promised to set up a regional office of Malacañang in Pangasinan, her father’s home province, if she wins in the upcoming May 9 presidential race.
Speaking to supporters in San Nicolas, Poe acknowledged the huge support Pangasinenses have given her when she ran for senator in the 2013 elections and her adoptive father, the late action king Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) when he ran for president in 2004 polls.
“Noong tumakbo si FPJ ‘nung 2004, ang Pangasinan ang kauna-unahang nagdeklara na siya ay Pilipino, na siya ay isang mabuting tao, na siya ay isang taga-Pangasinan. At [noong] ako naman ay tumakbo [noong] 2013, bagama’t isang ampon, itong Pangasinan ang unang umako sa akin at nagsabing ‘anak ng Pangasinan’ kaya number one din ako dito noong 2013,” Poe told a crowd of over 5,000 people.
(When FPJ ran [for president] in 2004, Pangasinan was the first to declare that he is a Filipino, a good person and hailed from Pangasinan. And when I ran [for senator] in 2013, although I am a foundling, Pangasinan was the first to recognize me as a “child of Pangasinan” that’s why I got the highest votes here in 2013.)
If elected president, the senator said she would make sure that the promised access to education for indigent students and free irrigation for farmers would benefit the people of the province.
“Pag ako ay naging pinuno ninyo, hindi ako magbibingi-bingihan o magbubulag-bulagan sa kailangan ninyo,” Poe said.
(If I become the president, I will not be turning a deaf ear or a blind eye on your needs.)
“Ang Malacañang ay hindi dapat sa Maynila lamang. Sa bawat rehiyon magkakaroon ako ng opisina para mas madali ninyo akong mapuntahan. At siyempre, ang isa sa unang opisina ay dito sa Pangasinan,” she said.
(Malacañang should not only be accessed in Manila. [If elected president], I will have offices in every region [in the country] so I will be more accessible to you. And of course, one of the first offices to be established will be in Pangasinan.)
Poe earlier said that she would rather have a simple office in every region than just stay in a palace should she get elected in May.
READ: Poe vows to be a ‘roving’ president: I don’t need a palace
Poe and her running mate Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, with their senatorial bets are campaigning in Pangasinan, one of the most vote-rich provinces in the country, with 1.7 million registered voters.
They were welcomed and accompanied in their town visits by local officials and Abono party-list group chair Rosendo So. RAM
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