ROXAS THANKS PINOYS FOR SUPPORTING NOY-MAR TANDEM

Liberal Party vice presidential race frontrunner Senator Mar Roxas today thanked the Filipino people for their continued support and belief in his and LP standard-bearer Sen. Noynoy Aquino's campaign for reforms and good governance.

"Inaalay ko sa ating mga kababayan ang patuloy na pangunguna namin ni Senator Noynoy sa surveys," Roxas said, citing the Pulse Asia survey for the month of March, where he and Aquino zoomed past their rivals as they zero in on victory in the May 10 national elections.

"Ang tiwala at suporta ng taumbayan ang pinagkukunan ko ng lakas at tibay ng dibdib para ituloy ang ating laban. Hindi mula sa mga pulitiko, hindi sa mga personalidad, kundi ang suporta galing sa taumbayan, galing sa kanilang pagpapasya, pagtimbang at sa kanilang pagbibigay ng tiwala sa akin," he added.

He vowed to deliver on his and Aquino's campaign promises and said an Aquino-Roxas administration would focus on the needs of the people, keep the economy buoyant and ensure justice and equality to all.

With only 32 days to go before the May 10 national and local elections, Roxas asked the electorate to choose and vote wisely for their next leaders, stressing the next six years would be crucial for the country, especially following the beating and abuse it had to endure during the 9-year administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"Ilang tulog na lang po at nasa kamay na natin ang pagpapasiya. Sana po ay maging maingat tayo at gamitin ang ating damdamin at talino sa pagpili ng iboboto," he appealed.

Roxas likewise appealed to the Commission on Elections to act with haste and impartiality on the Liberal Party's appeal to expunge the name of Vetellano Acosta from the election ballots. The Comelec has declared Acosta as a nuisance candidate.

The continued inclusion of Acosta's name in the ballots, he said, has given an advantage to Nacionalista president bet Manuel Villar, whose name is on its own box.

Aquino and Roxas had again prevailed over their rivals in the March 21 to 28 survey of the Pulse Asia. Aquino was picked by 37%, and Roxas by 43%, of the 3,000 respondents, giving them double-digit leads over Villar's 25% and Loren Legarda's 20%, respectively.