Team PNoy to stick to issue-based campaign

The Team PNoy senatorial slate will continue its issue-based campaign tact even as it expects mudslinging in the remaining days of the campaign period for the mid-term elections, Bam Aquino said on Tuesday/April 2.

Another Team PNoy senatorial bet, Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold more debates among senatorial candidates to educate voters on various issues and platforms of governance by contending political coalitions.

In a press briefing at the Team PNoy Headquarters in Makati, Aquino said: “One thing that won’t change is the Team PNoy strategy to stick to the issues and push for a clean and issue-based type of campaign.”

 Aquino, who broke into the Magic 12 in recent surveys, said he expects the campaign to heat up in the remaining few weeks, and the opposition to step up its mudslinging tactics against President Aquino's hand-picked candidates to help him in the last three years of his term.

“I’m sure talagang iinit yung laban. Marami sigurong ibabatong mga kung anu-ano. But rest assured na the candidates of Team PNoy will stick to the issues, to our advocacies, sa mga plano natin para sa bayan,” Bam Aquino said.

Aquino said further the Team PNoy coalition will work to keep the May 13, 2013 elections “honest and clean as much as possible.”

Aquino called on all political candidates to address directly socio-economic concerns of the greater number of Filipinos, notably poverty alleviation and job-generation.

“Hindi na iyong bangayan na personalan or mga bagay-bagay na hindi naman importante sa taong bayan,” Aquino said.

On the other hand, Hontiveros said: “At kung pwede, my wish sa remaining campaign days, sana mas maraming debate pa. So Comelec, kayo ba ang aking fairy godmother? Media, kayo ba ang aming fairy godmothers? Wish. Sana mas maraming debate pa.”

Hontiveros acknowledged her low-ranking in survey, but noted that she is “nearing the striking distance.”

“I’m still the lowest in our team pero every survey, nag ge-gain ng ilang percentage points. So, iyong mga ganyang survey results, always just inspire me to fight harder, work harder. Ganoon pa rin ang gagawin ko,” Hontiveros told the press briefing.

Hontiveros said she expects to enter the Magic Circle of 12 in the second half of the campaign.

“In this second half of the campaign at umaasa pa rin ako na maging bahagi sa Magic 12 at pumasok sa legislative team ni Presidente sa Senado," she said.

Aquino’s scial enterprise, HAPINOY, has been awarded around the world for its poverty-alleviation program using innovations in micro-enterprise, micro-finance and the Filipino staple, the sari-sari store.

Hontiveros, known in her stint in the House as a defender of the rights of the marginalized and symbol of integrity in public office, is expected to expound on her various advocacies, including women’s rights, for which she was once arrested.