The tandem of Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso" and Doc Willie Ong is final, Aksyon Demokratiko's campaign manager Lito Banayo said on Wednesday, Sept 29.

"Nung nagdeklara siya nung Miyerkules, 'yun na yon. All systems go na 'yun silang dalawa ni Doc Willie Ong.... Desidido na kami (When he declared on Wednesday, that was it. It's all systems go there for the two of them .... We have made our decision)," Banayo said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo.

Banayo said the team up of Domagaso and Vice President Leni Robredo is unlikely to happen anymore.

"Kay Doc Willie Ong, gustong gusto namin ang pagtatandem with him. He answers a very important problem ngayong may pandemya tayo, and we will stand by that. Kung magkakaroon ng unification talks, alliance talks, unity talks, yan ay patungkol sa mga senador and possibly mga local candidates (For Doc Willie Ong, we really like the tandem with him. He answers a very important problem now that we have a pandemic, and we will stand by that. If there are unification talks, alliance talks, unity talks, those will be about senators and possibly local candidates)," he added.

Domagoso officially declared his presidential bid in the 2022 national elections with Ong as his running mate last Wednesday, September 22.

Banayo also bared they are in talks with Francis "Chiz" Escudero, Loren Legarda, Noli de Castro, Joel Villanueva, Vilma Santos, and JV Ejercito for Aksyon's senatorial slate.

"Nakikipagusap samin. Pero ayaw namin pangunahan sila, I can say na nakikipagusap sila. May kanya kanyang timetable yan eh, may mga commitments na dapat pa nilang ayusin. I can confirm naguusap kami (We're talking. But we don't want to lead them, I can say that they are talking. He has his timetable, there are commitments that they still have to fix. I can confirm that we are talking)," he explained.

"May mga iba din, kaibigan nila yung nasa kabilang kampo, siguro nagpapaalam sila. Nagpapasintabi sila., things like those. We have to consider, we have to give them ample time, space to arrange their personal engagements (There are others too, their friends are from the other camp, maybe they are saying goodbye. Things like those, we have to consider, we have to give them ample time, space to arrange their personal engagements) ," he added.

Banayo added said there is also a possibility to have guest candidates from other political parties.

"Marami na ngang naglilipatan. Maraming pang on going talks na gustong sumanib sa Aksyon Demokratiko. Principally because they like the candidates (Many are already moving to Aksyon Demokratiko. There are many more ongoing talks (with those) who want to join Aksyon Demokratiko, principally because they like the candidates)," he told DZMM.

"Hanggang diyan na muna, maaaring madagdagan ng isa o dalawa, pero kasi (Until then, we can add one or two, but because), in the process, at the instance of Vice President Leni Robredo, we are trying to be part and parcel in the process of uniting with the opposition," he added.

Banayo also stressed that the other aspect that must be considered is that the system does not clearly identify who are those in the administration or in the opposition.

"Basta hindi ka kandidato ng administrasyon he is automatically labelled as part of the opposition (As long as you are not an administration candidate he is automatically labeled as part of the opposition)," he said.

The campaign manager also maintained Domagoso was never an enabler.

"He never was in the legislature, he never really enabled the programs or the policies of the president's administration," he said.

Banayo added they are looking at the advocacy of each candidate first before letting them join the Aksyon Demokratiko.

"We are running on the basis of issues, on the basis of platforms. Kaya nga maski sa pagpili ng aming mga kandidato, isinasaalang -alang namin kung kami ba ay tutugon ng maayos sa mga problema ng bansa... Dapat magtulungan ang lahat (That is why in choosing our candidates, we consider whether we can respond properly to the country's problems ... Everyone must work together)," he said.

"Everybody must join the effort towards national reconstruction and to be able to do that, we have to reconcile our views. Come up with compromises that will push our programs better."