Vice presidential aspirant Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said he has been honored to fight alongside the people in what he called a campaign that has turned into a movement.
In his speech during his and Vice President Leni Robredo's miting de avance in Makati City on Sunday, May 7, Pangilinan paid tribute to their supporters, collectively called as "kakampinks," saying he was honored and privileged to be part of such movement.
"Proud na proud akong kasama kayo sa laban na ito (I am very proud to be part of this fight). It has been an honor, it has been a privilege to help lead this campaign, this battle for the souls of the nation and it is a privilege and an honor to have fought alongside you our kababayans (fellowmen),"Pangilinan said before the hundreds of thousands of people in attendance in Makati City.
Their three-month nationwide campaign, the senator said, has also been a testament that proved the youth are not apathetic on social issues.
It became a moment for the youth, who mostly make up the attendees of Robredo and Pangilinan rallies, replicating the movement that sparked in the 1980s, Pangilinan said.
"Mulat na mulat ang kabataang Pilipino sa gitna ng daluyong ng disinformation at delubyo ng fake news (The youth are already aware amid the surge of disinformation and deluge of fake news)," he said.
"Binasag ng ating youth volunteers and maling paniniwala na apathetic daw o kaya hindi nakikialam ang kabataan. Alam ng ating kabataan ang mga usapin ng pulitika at social issues. Hindi sila 'snowflake' ika nga (Our youth volunteers disputed misconceptions about them that they are apathetic or they don't get involved. Our youth knows the political and social issues)," he added.
The lawmaker, who used to be a student leader and an activist in his college days, said what he saw in the past three months of campaign reminiscent to the movement that sparked among the youth during his time to oust dictator former President Ferdinand Marcos.
"Parang ganito rin, ganitong ganito noong panahon na pinatalsik namin, ng mga kabataan ng aming henerasyon, ang mga nakaupo, yung diktador (It was like this, it was very similar to the time when the youth of our generation ousted those in position, the dictator)," Pangilinan recalled.
He said the "youth are the spark for change" and the "volunteers have been the heart and soul of their campaign."