For the first time, Senator Grace Poe and former Senator Lito Lapid have joined forces in holding provincial sorties as they both campaigned in Zambales on Wednesday, Feb. 27.
Poe, daughter of veteran actress Susan Roces and Lapid, a movie actor, said the public could expect them to campaign jointly in other areas as well.
Lapid plays the role “Romulo Dumaguit” aka “Pinuno” in the top-rating primetime series “Ang Probinsyano” while Poe’s mother, Susan Roces plays “Lola Flora.”
“We will be together, but of course, we also have other reelectionists whom we want to help, and also help us, so we will also join them,” Poe told reporters in a chance interview during a public market visit in Iba town.
Lapid, for his part, said he was grateful to Poe for sort of “adopting” him in the runup to the midterm elections.
“Dahil ‘Probinsyano’ ito, ang pagmamahal niya—lalo na doon sa teleserye, kay Coco Martin, Susan Roces—ay iisa lang ang puso namin, kaya Poe at Lapid ang magkasama talaga; kahit noon pa—tatay ko, si Fernando Poe Sr. at Fernando Poe Jr.—ang ama niya at ang ama ko, magkasama noon pa, at si Jess Lapid Sr.,” Lapid said.
Lapid said he is also willing to take Poe in his bailiwick in Pampanga, one of the vote-rich provinces in the country.
Poe and Lapid are not part of any coalition, as well as returning Senator Sergio Osmeña III and incumbent Senator Nancy Binay.
Both senatorial bets said they prefer to barnstorm provinces to directly discuss their platforms rather than attend debates.
Poe said she would rather face the people and answer their questions directly rather than engage in a public debate with fellow candidates.
“As for me, if you have questions, you can ask me directly,” said Poe, who had participated in several public debates when she ran for president in 2016.
“Maybe, it is also better for me to go around so that our countrymen can ask me directly. Because in a debate, that’s it, those who were there are the ones who can ask questions. But in this, anybody can ask me… even in universities, questions can be shared directly at us,” Poe said.
“No longer needed,” said Lapid, who ranked third to sixth in latest senatorial survey of Pulse Asia.
Lapid said he has been a senator twice, but had never joined debates. He had been a public servant for 24 years.
“Of course you know that education is one of their issues against me,” he said.
Instead of attacking his educational background, Lapid said he would prefer that the questions raised will be about his experience in public service.
Poe supported Lapid, saying that one’s character is more important. “They are saying that education is important, but I told them that personality is more important.
Meanwhile, Poe is eyeing the expansion of the coverage of fuel subsidies being given by the government to jeepney operators amid new rounds of oil price hikes.
Poe and Lapid, who held a dialogue with Zambales fisherfolk, vowed to push for this in the Senate..
Poe said that many Filipinos heavily rely on fishing as their source of livelihood, as the country has vast coastlines and rich marine resources. However, fisherfolk remain among the poorest sectors of society. There are an estimated 1.8 million fishermen in the Philippines.
As chair of the Senate public services committee, Poe monitors the implementation of the social mitigating measures under the tax reform package. She had urged the Department of Transportation to distribute the Pantawid Pasada cards to jeepney franchise holders, which, up to now, some 80,000 are still unclaimed.
Meanwhile, Otso Diretso senatorial candidates have challenged other senatorial candidates, particularly those leading the pre-election surveys, to a debate on key national issues.