Senatorial candidate Kiko Pangilinan admitted that there’s still a long way to go for him and former senator Bam Aquino to get into the Senate’s winning circle.

Speaking to students of the Lyceum of the Philippines in Batangas on Thursday, April 3, Pangilinan has appealed to the youth to once again campaign for him and  fellow senatorial bet Bam Aquino.

With 39 days left before the May 2025 midterm elections, the former senator, who also ran for vice president in the 2022 elections, told his supporters that it is time once more to fight for the dream to have an honest government.

“Dapat sana maipanalo namin ni Bam ang aming kandidatura. Dahil kung titingnan natin ang sitwasyon ng bansa ngayon, yung aming pinaglaban na gobyernong tapat, angat buhay lahat three years ago eh pag nakikita natin ang balita, yung panga-abuso sa pwesto, yung toxicity, yung galit, parang bang lalong naging maigting yung pangangailangan ng gobyernong tapat (We must win this. Because if we look at the situation of the country now, the honest government that we are fighting for, the uplifting of lives three years ago, if we look at the news, the abuse of power, the toxicity, the anger, it looks like the need for an honest government became greater),” Pangilinan said.

“Yung mga nasaktan, na-depress, nalungkot, naluha… Panahon na para isantabi at pawiin ang luha, manumbalik ang sigla. Panahon na para lumaban ulit, magmahal ulit (Those who were hurt, who were depressed, go lonely, cried...It's time to set this aside, dry your tears, regain the energy. It's time to fight again, to love again),” Pangilinan added.

Both Pangilinan and Aquino remain outside the Senate’s Magic 12 in pre-election surveys by major survey firms, with the former lamenting how he was victimized by trolling and fake news when he entered the winning circle during the December-January survey period.

“Hindi pa kami siguradong mananalo pero hindi ngayon ang eleksyon. Pero mas tiyak kaming papasok lalo na kapag ang kabataan tumindig, kumilos, kumampanya. Kaya gamitin natin ang ating impluwensya sa mga kapitbahay, kamaganakan, kaibigan, followers, sabihin natin ang totoo (We are not yet sure if we'll win but it isn't the election yet. We are certain that we can enter especially if the youth takes a stand, act, and campaign. So, let us use our influence to our neighbors, relatives, friends, followers, let us tell the truth),” the former senator appealed.

Pangilinan, who is running under the advocacy of food security and lower prices of goods, is banking on the support of the youth as both he and Aquino topped pre-election surveys conducted in colleges and universities.

In Batangas, Pangilinan paid courtesy calls to local chief executives in Nasugbu, Agoncillo, Alitagtag, Lemery, and visited the Butong Taal fisherfolk community.