Team PNoy’s scions: Look at our track record, not surnames

Natashya Gutierrez

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Descendants of prominent names in politics running for senator ask that voters look not just at their surnames, but at what they've done

MANILA, Philippines – Aquino. Angara. Poe.

All familiar last names. All senatorial candidates.

Bam Aquino is the cousin of the President.

Aurora Rep Sonny Angara is the son of Senator Edgardo Angara…and Grace Poe is the daughter of the late actor and former Presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr.

All three are running for Senate for the first time… under the ticket of the administration.

But all three want voters to look at their track records… not their surnames.

BAM AQUINO
SENATORIAL CANDIDATE

Kung titingnan niyo naman po ang among track record, bago kami pumasok sa pulitika, in the case of Sonny, nung sumali siya sa pulitika, eh makikita naman po na mapagkakatiwalaan naman po kami kahit noon po. Sana po hindi niyo lang ako sasamahan dahil pinsan ko po si PNoy. Opo, pinsan ko po siya pero sana hindi lang po yun ang rason ninyo.

(If you look at our track records, before we joined politics, or in the case of Sonny, when he joined politics, you will see that we are trustworthy. I hope you don’t just vote for me because I’m the cousin of PNoy. Yes, I’m his cousin but I hope that’s not the only reason.)

Former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairperson Poe… jumped from rank 20 to rank 10-11 in the latest surveys.

Poe knows it is because of her last name, but says its okay.

She plans to push for the advocacies her late father never had the chance to do… but is also confident of her own achievements at the MTRCB.

GRACE POE
SENATORIAL CANDIDATE

Ako ay naghanda rin. Hindi naman porke’t ako ay anak ni FPJ kaya lang ako tumatakbo. Sa MTRCB, kahit dalawang taon lang po ang aking trabaho doon, naging malaman at marami po tayong mga nagawa hindi lamang sa mga manonood kung hindi para rin sa mga industriya ng telebisyon at pelikula.

(I’ve prepared for this too. I’m not just running because I’m the daughter go FPJ. In the MTRCB, even if I just worked there for two years, I was productive and accomplished a lot there not just for viewers but for the television and movie industries).

They are among the youngest candidates in the race.

Speaking to college students at the Universidad de Manila, they share their plans for the youth.

A common goal? Education reform and job generation.

Poe wants students to be able to avail of loans to fund their education.

Aquino says the educational system should not just include enrollment to graduation, but enrollment to job placement.

Angara continues to push for a bill of rights for new graduates.

SONNY ANGARA
SENATORIAL CANDIDATE

Biro ninyo, isang taon kayo nagfifill up ng application, pumipila, naghahanap ng trabaho. Dito sa Bill of Rights for new graduates, nais po natin yan paiksiin, yung period na yun yung panahon na yun na pumipila kayo sa gobyerno.

(Imagine, you’re filling up applications, lining up, looking for jobs for a year. With the bill of rights for new graduates, we want to shorten that period that you are asking the government for jobs).

While Poe soars in ratings, Angara sits precariously at 13th place.

Aquino rose from 17th to 15th place.

But with the campaign season just about to start, the rankings could well change.

Proud of their own accomplishments, they hope voters see beyond their names…

Although surnames like theirs won’t hurt.

And could be the boost they need to stay in the Magic 12.

Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler, Manila. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!
Face, Happy, Head

author

Natashya Gutierrez

Natashya is President of Rappler. Among the pioneers of Rappler, she is an award-winning multimedia journalist and was also former editor-in-chief of Vice News Asia-Pacific. Gutierrez was named one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders for 2023.