They have decided.
Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III will be running in tandem for the 2022 elections.
Sotto confirmed to the Manila Bulletin on Tuesday, July 20, that he will run for vice president next year, with Lacson as his running mate for president.
He said they will formally announce their plan to run for the Philippines' highest elective posts on August 4.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, Sotto said their tandem is unfazed by the recent pre-election surveys with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as the probable frontrunner in next year's presidential race.
"The surveys that they're getting right now not really reflective of what might happen in the second Monday of May. It really depends sa ating mga kababayan (on our voters)," Sotto said in the television interview.
The Lacson-Sotto tandem will be campaigning with the slogan "Kakayahan, Katapatan, Katapangan (Competence, Honesty, Courage)", he said.
The two long-time lawmakers have been touring around provinces in Luzon to consult local officials, business groups, as well as political parties about their possible election bid next year.
Both said that they were being careful in deciding whether or not to run as the country faces serious challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.