Pangilinan on being 15th in Senate race survey: ‘We have to beg for votes’

Former Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. —INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday expressed confidence that he could secure more votes in the 2025 polls by maintaining his advocacies and campaigning harder.

Pangilinan made the pronouncement after he was asked to comment on the results of a recent Pulse Asia survey which placed him in the 15th to 16th ranks of the senatorial candidates.

READ: Rep. Tulfo, 9 others from admin slate in Senate ‘Magic 12’ – Pulse Asia

“We just need to campaign as hard as we can. As they say, in this election, we have to beg for votes,” Pangilinan said in a mix of English and Filipino in a chance interview during his campaign’s kick-off Holy Mass in Quezon City.

READ: Pangilinan, Aquino kick off campaign in Quezon City

The former senator also stressed the importance of continuing his advocacy on reducing the prices of food, especially for the most vulnerable, as well as good and honest governance.

“So hopefully, if that’s our message, I think we’ll get more votes, including the survey. But we’ll also get more support,” he said.

He then compared this year’s electoral run to a basketball game, counting the upcoming elections as his “second quarter.”

Pangilinan last ran in the 2022 elections for vice president, but he lost to Sara Duterte.