Use campaign to explain gov’t programs instead of mudslinging, Drilon urges poll bets

Former Senate President and Liberal Party (LP) senatorial candidate Frank Drilon today challenged his fellow candidates in the May polls to utilize the 90-day campaign period to fully explain their proposed programs of government to the people instead of “engaging in an orgy of mudslinging and character assassination.”

“This campaign should be about the people’s aspiration for good governance and not just about personalities,” Drilon told a radio interview. “I hope we use this campaign period to talk about platforms of governments and how we can provide good governance to the Filipino people in the next six years.”

“It will be unfortunate if this campaign will be turned into an orgy of mudslinging and character assassination. I am hoping that he can keep the campaign positive and discuss concrete measures how we can eradicate the poverty and corruption problems of this country. Name-calling and empty sloganeering will take us nowhere,” Drilon added.

At the start of the campaign period Tuesday, Drilon joined LP standard bearers Senators Benigno Aquino III and Manuel Roxas II as well as members of the LP senatorial slate in a political rally in Tarlac.

Drilon explained that the LP was pushing for a comprehensive reform agenda that the party was determined to implement. “In the LP, politics is not about personalities; it’s about pursuing reforms and good governance,” Drilon added.

“A negative campaign would cause more disunity among Filipinos, further complicating the task of governing a country already beset with social, economic, and political difficulties. We should be discussing issues in a sober and rational manner. We should show our people and the world that we have a mature democracy,” he added.

At the Tarlac rally, Drilon expressed his gratitude to former President Corazon Aquino for ushering his entry into government service in 1986.  “I thanked the former president for the opportunity that she gave me that spurred my 22 years of public service, which I can stand proud on,” Drilon said.

In the radio interview today, Drilon said there isn’t an icon of a honest public service other than President Aquino. “We have no other icon of honesty in government service than President Aquino,” he said.

Drilon also reminded the people to make the sincerity of the candidate a requisite in choosing whom to vote for in the May elections. “While we try to bring this campaign on a level that the public may understand what our platforms of government are, the people should also look at the sincerity of the candidate during this campaign period, what he has done for the people and what he stands for especially in the face of corruption in government,” Drilon stressed. (end)