CAMARINES SUR, Philippines – Weeks ahead of the May 9 election, presidential bet Grace Poe visited the church of Saint Jude near Malacañang in Manila to seek help.

Poe said she is relying on divine intervention to help her in the presidential race, which is getting tighter by the day. 

Saint Jude is the patron saint of hope and impossible causes.

“Buhos ng dasal, ‘yon lang talaga eh. Nandoon nga ako sa Saint Jude kahapon eh, ‘yung santo ng mga imposible. Hindi, kasi alam mo lahat kami talaga ngayon eh parang karera ito ng kabayo na talagang sa photo finish na talaga tayo,” Poe told reporters in a sortie in Camarines Sur on Friday, April 15.

(Lots of prayers, that’s all. I was there at St Jude yesterday, the patron saint of the impossible. No, because you know all of us candidates now are like in a horse race, photo finish.)

Poe said she would accept the decision of the people, even if it’s unfavorable to her. After all, she and her family experienced it in 2004, when her father, actor Fernando Poe Jr, lost to then President Gloria Arroyo.

“Ngayon, gagalangin ko palagi kung ano ang boses ng ating mga kababayan sapagkat pinagdaanan na namin noong 2004 sa aking ama…. Basta igalang natin,” she added.

(Now, I will always respect the voice of our fellowmen because we already experienced that in 2004 when my father ran. Let’s respect it.)

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte bumped off Poe from the top spot in the recent Social Weather Stations and ABS-CBN surveys.

Poe’s campaign has since changed its strategy to make it “more focused.”

She has included the issue of peace and order – the core platform of Duterte – in her campaign speeches. But unlike the tough-talking mayor, Poe vowed to end crime through “justice” and not violence.

Tough times reveal real friends

Poe said the decline in her ratings revealed who her real supporters are.

When she was still the front runner, Poe said it was difficult for her to determine if people supported her for her platform or just because of her high numbers.

“Sa totoo nga, mas lalo kong nakikita ang mga meron talagang malasakit at purong intensyon na naniniwala sa iyong plataporma sapagkat hindi lamang tumitingin sa numero bagamat importante ‘yon,” Poe told reporters.

(The truth is, I saw who are the people really compassionate and have pure intention on my platform because they do not just look at the numbers, although that is also important.)

Poe added: “Kasi kung nasa taas ka, kung ikaw ‘yung pinakamataas at lumapit ‘yan, ni hindi mo masasabi kung dahil ba sa plataporma mo o dahil nangunguna ka. Pero ngayon, malinaw na.”

(Because if you’re on the top, if you’re the highest and somebody approaches you, you would not know if that’s because of your platform or because you are a front runner. But now, it’s clear.)

Poe maintained she was never complacent in her campaign, as she knows how numbers can be volatile.

Case in point, she said, was her ratings last December – during the height of the disqualification cases against her – when she ranked 2nd in pre-election surveys.

“Kahit kailan hindi ako naging kampante sa pagiging front runner. Alam ‘nyo, bakit? Dahil lahat ng tumatakbong kandidato may kanya-kanyang alas,” she said.

(I have never been content in being a front runner. You know why? Because all candidates have their own aces.) – Rappler.com