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MANILA, Philippines – Former youth commissioner and actor Dingdong Dantes ended speculations on Tuesday, April 26, when he finally revealed he is supporting presidential bet Grace Poe.
“Yes, iboboto ko siya (Yes, I will vote for her),” Dantes revealed on the sidelines of a media briefing in Makati City.
Poe and another presidential bet whom Dantes did not mention, “performed very, very well” during the last debate.
Dantes had earlier endorsed administration vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo and has been actively campaigning for her.
While he expressed his support for Poe, Dantes clarified that he has only committed to “actively campaign as a volunteer” for the Robredo campaign.
“Nag-uusap naman kami (Poe), at nabanggit ko naman sa kanya kung ano stand ko, kung ano naging desisyon ko. At naunawaan niya,” Dantes explained.
(We’ve talked about this, and I told her about my stand, about my decision, and she understood my position.)
Poe, for her part, earlier said: “You know, Dingdong has been very supportive, kaya lang hindi siya kaagad-agad lumabas sapagkat meron siyang National Youth Commission (but he could not immediately comeout because he was with the National Youth Commission). Pero he has told me that he would like to support me.”
Asked if he’ll vote for @SenGracePOE, former youth commissioner @iamdongdantes says "yes". #PHVote @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/EOaQIt9UQB
— Voltaire Tupaz (@VoltaireTupaz) April 26, 2016
“Whenever I offer myself to a task or service, I make sure to put my 100% dedication to the objective. While we all know how important the presidential race is, the VP race is also as important. I am campaigning not because of the position but because of the person,” Dantes stressed.
Dantes, who supported President Benigno Aquino III in the 2010 elections, earlier quit his post at the National Youth Commission to campaign for Robredo.
“She’s the reason why I resigned….I am happy and i feel liberated to openly campaign for the person whom i believe in – that is Leni Robredo,” Dantes said.
In deciding his preferred bets, Dantes said he factored in the future of his daughter, Maria Letizia, and her generation.
“I believe she (Robredo) has established a strong home with a deep sense of grounded family values. Look at the background of all the candidates and see how they are, and most likely, that is how we will be led,” he said, noting that his wife, actress Marian Rivera-Dantes, shared his conviction.
Political climate and climate change
Dantes, who headed NYC’s desk on environment concerns, said that his strong support for Robredo dates back to the time when her late husband, Jessie Robredo, was interior secretary.
“We worked together in a project on disaster risk reduction and management. Our objective was to go to the schools to teach the youth on what to do when disasters strike,” Dantes said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Dantes said he learned a lot about “humble leadership” from the late “good governance ” icon. It is a trait which Leni also embodies, according to Dantes, who was inspired by the legislator’s advocacy work for marginalized sectors like farmers. (READ: Sumilao farmers march again, this time for Leni Robredo)
“We need someone who will inspire us to become better citizens of this country. An inspiring person is one with an inspiring narrative. One who is authentic, without pretensions, and goes beyond campaign slogans,” he said, describing his candidate.
Dantes also expressed disappointment over how social media is being used during the campaign.
“Facebook is no longer fun,” he suggested, but noted that heated political exchanges online indicate how voters are deeply involved during the campaign.
“After elections, we have to set all these aside and rally towards supporting our next leaders, regardless of the outcome.”
The climate action advocate urged netizens and the youth to continue their vigilance even after they cast their votes. He noted that there are pressing issues that future leaders should address like climate change, disasters, and the threat of El Niño and La Niña.
Noting that climate change has not been widely tackled during the campaign, Dantes urged future Philippine leaders to implement the climate deal clinched in Paris and recently signed in New York. – With reports from Voltaire Tupaz and Camille Elemia/Rappler.com
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