Pangilinan to 65 million voters: 'Kapag nagkamali tayo sa pagboto, kinabukasan nating lahat ang apektado'

CEBU CITY - With only five days left before voting, vice presidential aspirant Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Wednesday evening reminded the 65 million Filipino voters of their power to change for the better the political landscape in the Philippines, telling them not to waste this opportunity to elect competent leaders.

Citing the slow government response on Covid, Pangilinan urged the attendees of the CEBUyass! campaign caravan at the Southwestern University to be forward-looking.

"Kapag nagkamali tayo at hindi tayo nagpasya base sa track record at base sa malinis na panunungkulan, kapag nagkamali tayo, kinabukasan nating lahat ang apektado. Buhay natin ang apektado, hanapbuhay natin ang apektado," Pangilinan said.

"Nakita natin sa Covid, kapag palpak, kapag kurakot, kapag hindi tama ang mga nanunungkulan, hindi masugpo ang Covid, marami ang namamatay. Marami ang nagkakasakit. Milyon ang nawalan ng trabaho at nagutom dahil sa hindi tamang panunungkulan," he said.

"Kaya hindi tayo dapat magkamali dahil ang nakataya sa May 9 buhay natin lahat, hanapbuhay natin lahat, turismo, edukasyon ng ating mga anak. Lahat ng iyan nakataya," he added.

Since the first case was recorded last January 21, 2022, the Philippines now tallied a total of 3,686,375 cases of Covid as of writing. Of this number, 60,439 died.

The poor Covid response also led to a series of hard lockdowns, leaving many Filipinos jobless and hungry with minimal government support.

As the country reels from the negative effects of the pandemic, Pangilinan said that Filipinos have an opportunity to put a stop to this by voting based on their conscience.

"Gamitin natin ang kapangyarihan natin para matiyak natin na ang ating kinabukasan, ang ating buhay, ang ating hanapbuhay, ang ating kalusugan, ang edukasyon ng ating mga anak, ilalagay natin sa tamang panunungkulan, sa mga karapat-dapat. Hindi dapat kung sinu-sino. Hindi dapat ang mga kurakot," he said.

This is the third time Pangilinan barnstormed Cebu City, the most vote-rich province in the country with over 3 million registered voters.