Vice President Leni Robredo's announcement of her presidential bid in the May 2022 polls was a tearful moment for Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.
Pangilinan made this admission Friday, Oct. 8 when he formally accepted the role as Robredo’s running mate in the upcoming elections.
It was Thursday morning when Robredo ended her discernment process and declared her intention to run for the country’s top post. That same afternoon, she filed her certificate of candidacy (COC).
"Kahapon ng umaga habang pinakikinggan ko sa telebisyon ang mensahe ni Ma'am Leni, nakakahiya mang aminin, ay hindi ko napigil ang mapaluha. Napaluha dahil sa dalawang bagay (It's embarrassing to admit, but I couldn't help but shed tears yesterday morning while I was listening to Ma'am Leni's message on TV. I cried because of two things)," Pangilinan said in a speech at the Quezon City Reception House.
"Una, mga luha ng agam-agam at pangamba dahil habang nagsasalita si Ma’am Leni, bigla kong naramdaman ang buong bigat at magiging pasanin ng landas na aming tatahakin tungo sa pamumuno sa isang bansang naghihikahos at gumagapang (First, I cried because of the doubts and fears, as Ma'am Leni's word reminded me of the tough and arduous path that we will tread in order to lead a country that is down and suffering)," he said.
Pangilinan's second reason was more positive and forward-looking.
"Pangalawang dahilan, mga luha ng pag-asa na sa pagdeklara ni Ma'am Leni ng kanyang pagtakbo para sa pagkapangulo may pag-asang darating na ang tama, maayos at higit sa lahat ang mapagkalingang pagharap sa dalawang pinakamatinding problema natin ngayon--ang pandemya at ang gutom dala ng kawalan ng hanapbuhay o sapat na kita ng milyun-milyong pamilyang Pilipino (The second reason, the tears were of hope that with Ma'am Leni's presidential candidacy, there will be hope of a just, orderly, and most of all caring response to the two worst problems of today--the pandemic and hunger caused by the unemployment or underemployment of millions of Filipino families)," he explained.
Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party (LP), filed his COC for vice president Thursday morning. She was personally accompanied by Robredo, the chairman of LP.
However, Robredo has said that the will run as an independent candidate in the polls, something that Pangilinan didn't find any issue with.