Packaging Roxas, Robredo as one a ‘challenge’ to LP—Pangilinan

P-NOY, MAR AND LENI INROXAS Liberal Party presidential candidate Mar Roxas and running mate Leni Robredo with President Aquino at the campaign rally of the administration’s Daang Matuwid coalition at Capiz Gymnasium in Roxas City. RAFFY LERMA

While their numbers in preference surveys are “slowly” and “steadily” going up, Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas and vice presidential bet Leni Robredo still need to address some challenges in their campaign, according to a senatorial bet in the administration slate.

Former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Thursday said one of the challenges that the ruling Liberal Party has to face less than three months before the May polls was how to package Roxas and Robredo as part of one team.

“The challenge is how to project Mar and Leni as part of one team. Package deal ‘yan. Magtutulungan ‘yung dalawa,” Pangilinan told the media in forum in Quezon City.

Pangilinan made the remark when asked about the alleged image problem hounding Roxas, who was perceived as elitist and lacking in charisma, and Robredo’s supposed lack of national reach.

But the former presidential security adviser maintained that Roxas and Robredo complement each other, noting that the former’s facility with language and ability to connect will still improve, while the latter continues to improve in preference surveys.

“We just have to be true and authentic and that’s what we are doing right now… The numbers don’t lie… Leni Robredo’s numbers are most improved among other candidates,” Pangilinan said, referring to the latest Pulse Asia survey.

“Kulang lang siya sa pagkilala sa tao pero ‘pag nakilala talaga siya ng tao, maganda ang conversion,” he said of the wife of the late Interior secretary Jesse Robredo.

Pangilinan said Robredo’s recent apperance in a television drama anthology “will have a bearing in her survey numbers.”

“It will go up; whether it stays up, it will depend on what we will do,” he said.

The latest preference poll saw Roxas in a statistical tie at second place with Vice President Jejomar Binay and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, while Robredo trailed Senators Francis Escudero and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Nevertheless, Pangilinan said he was optimistic that LP was in a “good place” ahead of the national elections.

“The voters are capable of making an informed decision. Kaya nilang magpasya ng karapat dapat, basta ‘di matabunan ng kasinungalingan. Ang hamon sa amin ay itulak ang katotohanan sa mga programa,” he added.

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