MANILA, Philippines – It is all about beauty.

Reelectionist Senator Nancy Binay said this in jest on Monday, September 24, when asked what she thinks is her advantage as a candidate.

“Strength? Beauty. Joke!” a laughing Binay told reporters in an interview.

Binay has been bashed for her previous outfit faux pas and her being dusky. (READ: ‘The Charcoal Confessions’: Nancy Binay writes book on cyberbullying)

She has been consistently getting high ratings in pre-election surveys, ranking 3rd to 4th in the September 2018 Pulse Asia  Ulat ng Bayan survey.

Turning serious, Binay said she’d rather not praise herself.

“Hindi ko alam, baka na-appreciate lang nila yung trabahong ginawa natin in the past few months. Ang hirap magsalita eh, ang hirap naman magbuhat ng sariling bangko,” Binay said.  (I don’t know, maybe they appreciate the work I’ve been doing in the past few months. I really can’t say, and I wouldn’t want to praise myself.)

The senator said she was surprised that she consistently made it to the so-called Magic 12, given the corruption accusations hurled at her and his family.

“Syempre nagulat din. Actually nagugulat nga ako kasi pasok tayo palagi dun sa top 12. Alam niyo naman pinagdaanan namin way back. But in spite of all the allegations, at paninira…pumapasok pa rin tayo sa top 12,” Binay said. 

(I too am surprised. It surprises me that I always land in the top 12. You all know what we’ve been though in the past. But despite all the allegations and the smear campaign, I still make it to the top 12 in surveys.)

The Binays were the subject of a 20-month Senate investigation that dug up multiple allegations of corruption and unexplained wealth of the family, especially former Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Senator Binay was recently chosen as the president of the United Nationalist Alliance, the party of her father. For the 2019 elections, she said UNA is open to alliances with other political parties, such as the Nationalist People’s Coalition and the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino. – Rappler.com