Korina Sanchez to kabalens: Mar needs Pampanga’s vote

PAMPANGA, Philippines – Barely a month before the national elections, the wife of Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II pleaded Wednesday, April 6, to her fellow kabalens to support her husband’s presidential bid.

In an exclusive interview with Sun.Star Pampanga recently, broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez Roxas said that earning the votes of Kapampangans will secure the bid of Roxas.

“Sa patuloy na pagtaas ng numero para kay Mar, ang kulang na lang talaga ay Pampanga. Kaya naman humihingi tayo ng tulong sa mga kabalen na sana tulungan natin si Mar Roxas,” she said.

(Given Mar’s numbers that continue to rise, the only vote lacking is Pampanga’s. That’s why I’m asking for th help of my province mates, I hope we will help Mar Roxas.)

Pampanga, having a total of 1,278,260 registered voters, is frequently visited by the Daang Matuwid Coalition led by Roxas and his running mate Leni Robredo.

In recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia, Roxas continues to trail other presidential candidates with a stable 21% voter preference.

Sanchez also expressed gratitude to Governor Lilia Pineda for supporting the administration slate, adding that the “support of such a good and well-loved leader echoes the competence of Mar for the position.”

“Talagang natutuwa kami kasi si Nanay Baby ay talagang sinabi na Mar ang Pampanga at malaki ang pasasalamat namin doon,” she said. (We are really pleased because Mother Baby really said that Pampanga will go for Mar, and we are thankful for that.)

Roxas’ agenda: Decongest Metro Manila

Sanchez also disclosed that one of the main agenda of her husband is to decongest Metro Manila by moving development to the countryside.

“He is really up to decongesting the metro, particularly the traffic, by allowing and supporting development in the countryside,” she said.

She also reiterated the willingness of Roxas to develop the Clark International Airport and make it a premier airport, which will accommodate big airlines.

“During his meeting with the Makati Business Club, isa yan sa mga in-open niya at in-introduce sa mga businessmen kasi naniniwala talaga si Mar na ito na talaga ang dapat gawin,” she said. (That’s one of the [ideas] he introduced to business because Mar really believes that’s what should be done.)

Quoting her husband, Sanchez-Roxas said that the country’s premier airport has to be moved out of the metropolis because of its growing population which is accompanied by several threats.

“Gusto niya din syempre na ‘yung mga dayuhan, turista man ‘yan o investor, ay may dadatnan sa Pilipinas na maaliwalas,” she added. (Of course, he wants foreigners, whether they are tourists or investors, to see a Philippines that is not congested.)

Sanchez, whose parents hail from Pampanga, said that the province is very close to their hearts.

If Roxas is elected, she said that she and her husband will go back to the Pampanga bringing several programs and projects for inclusive development. – Rappler.com 

This article is republished under Rappler’s content sharing agreement with the SunStar network in the coverage of the 2016 national and local elections.