2022 ELECTIONS | Two senators start consultation meetings with local officials ahead of 2022 elections

July 8, 2021 , 09:46 PM

By Beatrice Puente, News5 Digital

(July 8, 2021) – The Senate president and his close political ally on Thursday launched a consultative tour of provinces to gauge public sentiments as well as support from local officials ahead of the national elections next year.

Senators Vicente Sotto III and Panfilo Lacson made a visit to the vote-rich Bulacan province, just north of the capital, in the guise of asking local officials how they are holding up in the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

But political observers believed the two lawmakers are trying to determine how the public would receive them as potential presidential and vice presidential candidates in the May 2022 elections.

Sotto, head of the 24-member upper house of Congress, is mulling to seek the vice presidency after serving two terms in the Senate, which makes him ineligible for another term.

Lacson, a former national police chief, is rumored to be aspiring for the highest political office after his first term because he would be too old to run for president in the next elections in 2028.

Sotto and Lacson went to Malolos, Bulacan, and prayed at the historic Barasoain Church, the site of the first Philippine Assembly after the country won its independence from Spain in 1898, to kick off their “Tour of Luzon” meetings.

“Ang kanilang version ng Tour of Luzon ay para kumustahin ang mga LGUs, tingnan ang kanilang kalagayan at makakuha ng mga suhestyon para sa post-COVID-19 recovery plan ng bansa,” Sotto’s staff told reporters in a statement.

Sotto has said he will only run for a national office if Lacson decides to run for president and Lacson also said he will only support Sotto’s bid for the vice presidency. Even if he decides not to run for president, he will still support Sotto’s aspirations for the vice presidency.

“Okay lang kahit sino ang tumakbo. Siguro naman mayroon din silang programang ipe-presenta. Nasa taumbayan ‘yun kung sino ang tingin nilang makakagawa ng mabuti sa posisyon,” Sotto had said in an earlier interview.

Both Lacson and Sotto have also started consulting experts and former Cabinet members to prepare for their election campaign, assessing their chances and discussing social issues.

Lacson said they wanted to prepare ahead of time in order to prepare a concrete plan once they formalize their plans to run in the elections.

“As I matured in public service, in politics, hindi lang pwedeng passion and emotion. Kailangan talagang pag-aralan mong mabuti ‘yung susuungin mo before you make a decision,” Lacson said.

While both officials prefer to run together, Sotto’s party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), has reported plans to field a presidential candidate who can possibly boost the senate president’s campaign.

NPC has started its preparations for the elections by recruiting Ilocos Sur kingpin Luis Chavit Singson. There were also rumors that Senator Emmanuel “Pacman” Pacquiao will transfer to the party after Singson’s move. The two are close allies.

Politicians have started announcing their plans in recent weeks, but no one has officially confirmed their intention to run for president or vice president. Filing of candidacies will start in October.

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