Partido Reporma standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III took a break from their usual campaign activities and had a quiet weekend stroll on Saturday afternoon while indulging requests for quick selfies from residents and tourists they came across with during their visit in Baguio City.
Lacson and Sotto, who both visited Baguio together with some of their senatorial candidates, said they were delighted to know that the tourism industry is slowly recovering in this popular weekend getaway destination after a two year COVID-19 pandemic.
“Remember, ang Baguio hindi lang (taga) Baguio City ang residents na nandito. Kahapon ‘nung namasyal kami doon sa Tam-awan (Village), ang dami roon mga taga-Nueva Ecija, taga-Cavite, kung saan-saan nanggagaling (Remember, in Baguio, you will not only find Baguio City residents here. Yesterday, when we also toured the Tam-awan Village, many people there said they were from Nueva Ecija, from Cavite, from a lot of different places),” Lacson told reporters in an interview during his visit here.
Both Lacson and Sotto prayed at the Baguio Cathedral Saturday afternoon to thank the Lord for another fruitful week.
After attending mass, they walked along Session Road on their way to Burnham Park, where they had coffee and hung out for a while as they wrapped up their two-day trip to the summer capital.
During the stroll, mask-wearing Baguio City residents could not help but approach the presidential duo because they were happy to see them in town.
Sotto visited Baguio City together with his daughters, actress-singer Ciara Sotto and Diorella ‘Lala’ Sotto, who is also running in the 2022 elections as second nominee of AGAP Partylist—a group that seeks to represent farmers and agricultural workers.
According to Lacson, most of the tourists he met there looked for Sottoo when they had separate schedules on Friday morning.
The presidential bet said he is pleased to find out that more people have come to appreciate the bond they shared as longtime partners in service and are now looking out for the Lacson-Sotto tandem.
“That’s a good indication because it appears that people are becoming conscious of our tandem. I was about to narrate to him (Sotto) the experience that I had yesterday. A lot of people really asked about him: ‘Senator Ping, where is the Senate President? Why isn’t he with you?” Lacson noted.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong accompanied the veteran public servants during their weekend tour. They were also joined by Partido Reporma senatorial bet Guillermo Eleazar and adopted candidate Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Piñol.