Partido Reporma Chairman and standard-bearer Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson on Friday, Jan. 21 said Filipinos must regain their sense of hope along with their ability to dream of a better life - and a Lacson presidency would help make sure of this instead of feeling resigned to their fate.
Lacson said he observed a feeling of "surrender" among Filipinos during the visits he and and vice presidential bet Senate President Vicente "Tito" C. Sotto III made to the provinces.
”Talagang kailangan bumalik yung pag-iisip na may pag-asa pa tayo (We need to restore the sense of hope among our fellow Filipinos).
Kasi yan ang sa tingin ko sa maraming kababayan natin parang surrender na eh. Para bang, maski sino pa maupo diyan pare-pareho na (Many of them seem to have surrendered, thinking that whoever becomes the next leader won't make a difference in their lives)," Lacson said in an interview on DZXL radio Friday.
"Kaya ang nangyari sa atin, nasaan man tayo magkatumpok-tumpok, sa barberya, maski sa abroad pag nagkausap-usap, wala nang topic kundi problema ng Pilipinas (So when we Filipinos meet, chances are we'll just talk about the problems besetting the country)," he added.
Lacson said it is time Filipinos believe they could improve their lot in life - but this should start with the government earning their trust and support.
He said this is why he and Sotto - who is running under the Nationalist People's Coalition - are offering a platform of government based on their slogan "Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino (We will Fix the Government and Fix the Lives of Each Filipino)" and "Uubusin ang Magnanakaw (Getting Rid of Thieves).”
"Tulad nang sinabi ko, ang Number One problem ng bansa natin gobyerno; ang solusyon gobyerno rin (As I have been saying, the Number One problem of our country is bad governance and the solution is good governance). So pag hindi natin naayos ang gobyerno, hindi natin masosolusyunan yung mga problema ng bansa (If we do not fix the ills of government, we cannot solve the nation's problems)," he said.
"So siguro mga kababayan natin maging discerning na lang tayo at tingnan na lang natin kung sino yung karapat-dapat na iboto (So to our fellow Filipinos, let's be discerning when we vote). Hindi ‘yung sa tingin natin malamang na mananalo. Wala akong tinutukoy kung sino pero nasa kamay nating lahat eh (Vote for the most qualified, not the one most likely to win. I am not referring to anyone but I am saying the choice is ours)," he added.