FINISH THE RACE. Presidential aspirant Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Wednesday (May 4, 2022) tells his supporters in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental that he will finish the race amid low survey ratings. Lacson, accompanied by former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, who is running for senator, held town hall meetings in Dumaguete and Bais City. (Photo by Judy Flores Partlow)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Presidential aspirant Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday brushed off reports of consistent low survey ratings and even zero votes in Visayas and Mindanao as he told supporters here and in Negros Oriental that he will finish the race on May 9.
Lacson, accompanied by former Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol, held sorties in this capital and in Bais City, about an hour’s drive from here, holding town hall meetings to listen to the issues and concerns of the people.
“I do not believe that I have zero votes in the Visayas and in Mindanao because we have an organization there, and we have leaders and supporters in many areas by the hundreds of thousands,” he said.
Lacson said based on the number of attendees and reception of the people in the sorties here and in Aklan, Iloilo, Leyte, and Samar, it could not be said he will get zero votes in the Visayas.
At a press briefing after his town hall meeting at the Lamberto Macias Sports Center here with sectoral representatives, the incumbent senator said the last two out-of-town days of his campaign are scheduled in the Visayas and Mindanao “where our support groups are strong”.
Lacson said his camp is also strengthening his presidential bid through social media, which has become more popular now than mainstream media.
He said Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. started utilizing the platform early in 2016 and Vice President Leni Robredo followed suit.
Lacson said he does not want to question the integrity of the survey teams but at the same time, he said he “cannot really believe that he is only worth two percent”, referring to the voting population.
"Sometimes it can be discouraging but we won't be distracted," the former chief of the Philippine National Police said. (PNA)
