Press Release
October 12, 2015

POE URGES OTHER BETS: RESPECT POLL PROCESS, FILIPINO VOTERS

Senator Grace Poe called on her fellow candidates for the 2016 national elections to "give more respect to the electoral process and the Filipino voter" and "blaze a trail for a new kind of political contest that is centered on platforms of government."

"Campaigns should be caravans of intellectual discourse and meetings of the mind. Let's show the stuff we are made of, what we want to do for the country, what the people can expect from us," Poe urged fellow hopefuls.

The filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) is expected to open the floodgates of nationwide sorties by at least four major candidates, which include Poe as the frontrunner in various presidential voter preference surveys. It will also usher in the election period that will be highlighted by the national elections in May next year.

There will also be at least six candidates who will run for vice president--a race that is led by Poe's running mate, Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero, who topped a recent survey by Pulse Asia.

"In this age of social media, more and more voters now have a wealth of information in their hands about what the candidates have to offer. And it is through the sorties that we, candidates, could reinforce all the knowledge and explain how we plan to give life and blood to the advocacies in the positions we will be elected to," Poe explained.

She likewise pointed out that among presidential candidates alone, "that X-factor called charisma should not be relied on to carry you through."

"All leaders need charisma to lead, to inspire. But if you transform your campaign into a circus, you will just be taking away much of the people's precious attention from the messages you want to convey," she advised.

And while she herself belongs to a show business family, being the daughter of the late king of Philippine movies Fernando Poe Jr. and respected veteran actress Susan Roces, Poe said she would "want the Filipino electorate to appreciate me for what my presidential plans are, hear what they need and propose immediate solutions to these while on the campaign trail."

According to Poe, this is the same reason she favors televised debates among the presidential candidates.

"That way, we can remove all the pomp and pageantry that are usually seen at campaign sorties and allow the voters to see and hear for themselves how we will be able to handle the country's problems," she said.

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