Former Senator and #Halalan2025 Senatorial Aspirant Francis Pangilinan during the Harapan 2025 interview series on January 7, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Senatorial aspirant Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan is looking at the silver lining and the lessons learned from his failed vice presidential bid in the 2022 elections.

Speaking at Harapan 2025, Pangilinan shared his takeaways from his campaign.

"Number One, kinakailangan magpasya ng maaga. Number Two, kinakailangan hindi nahuhuli sa paghanda," he said.

(Number One, you must decide early. Number Two, you should not be left behind in the preparations)

Pangilinan was named former Vice President Leni Robredo's running-mate in October 2021, shortly after the latter announced her bid for chief executive.

"Nahuli yung pagdesisyon tumakbo para sa Presidente at Bise Presidente. Si Vice President Leni [Robredo] nagdesisyon six months before. So yun gahol sa oras. Pangalawa, hindi ko talaga binalak tumakbong Vice President," he said.

(The decision to run for president and vice president came late. Vice President Leni decided six months before the elections. So there was not a lot of time. Second, I hadn't really planned to run for vice president)

He said that he initially planned to seek reelection.

"Ako’y Number Eight sa survey. But isinantabi ko yung sarili kong mga plano dahil naniniwala ako na si Vice President Leni was the most qualified. And I still believe that up to today," he explained.

(I was Number Eight on the survey, but I set that aside because I believed Vice President Leni was the most qualified)

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'VICTORIOUS DEFEAT'

Pangilinan described the campaign as a "victorious defeat" despite losing to Vice President Sara Duterte.

"Kasi grabe lumabas yung tao. Grabe yung pagtataya, yung bolunterismo. Sila mismo ang nagbibigay ng kanilang suporta. Never ako nagkakaroon pa ng mga billboard nun pero yung mga volunteers, sila ang nagbayad ng billboard. Hindi lang billboard, mural pa," he said.

(Because the turnout of people was massive. They really supported us and volunteered. I had never had a campaign billboard, but the volunteers paid for those. There were even murals)

Pangilinan was referring to the thousands of supporters, from various age groups and sectors, who showed up to their various campaign rallies across the country dressed in pink.

Some supporters went house to house to campaign for the Leni-Kiko tandem.

"So I consider it, sabi nga nila sa pagsasaka, nagpunla. Punla yun. We were planting the seeds and we were planting seeds nung 2022. At darating ang panahon na magiging maganda ang ani. We will harvest what we have planted. Hindi pa tayo tapos," he shared.

Despite the outpouring of support during the 2022 elections, Pangilinan said they are not banking on this alone for the 2025 polls.

"Kailangan talaga nating suyuin ulit, ligawan ulit, puntahan ulit yung mga kababayan…. 65 million ang magiging numero ng mga botante," he said.

(We really need to win them over again, go to them. There will be 65 million voters)

"Kailangan pa rin natin kumbinsihin yung mga kumilos noon. Sabi ko nga eh, buhayin ninyo ang mga group chat dahil hindi pa tayo tapos," the former senator added.

(We still need to convince again those who volunteered before. Like I said, we need to revive the group chats because we are not done yet)

NEW STRATEGY IN 2025 CAMPAIGN?

Pangilinan said there is a need to change the way he and his supporters speak to voters who are on the other side or undecided.

"Sa mga voters natin, mga supporters, huwag natin aawayin yung iba yung pananaw o kontra sa atin. Kumbinsihin natin, ligwan natin, ipaalam natin sa kanila, ipaabot," he said.

Pangilinan cited the importance of reaching out to the voters, after being the target of trolls and bashing leading up to the polls.

"Kami halimbawa, we have been victims, demonized by trolling and bashing. Laking gastos ng mga katunggali natin para siraan tayo. Ang daming kasinungalingan na ikinakalat parin," he explained.

"Naniniwala ako ang taongbayan pag nakita ang katotohanan, magpapasya siya ng tama. Marami ang nagsasabi nga sa akin, ah ganun ba? Eh dapat pala senator kayo yung ano. Kasi akala namin ganito, ganyan, hindi pala totoo yun," the former Senator shared.

When asked why voters should bring him back to the Senate, Pangilinan cited his track record and his three terms where he passed several laws.

"Doon sa tatlong termino [sa Senado], ni minsan hindi tayo nasangkot sa kahit anong kaso ng anomalya…. Meron tayong resibo ng track record ng mga nagawa para sa ating mga kababayan. Napababa natin presyo ng pagkain at bigas," he said.

"Tayo po hindi lang po tayo nangako, natupad natin ang pangako. We were able to a lot of laws na nagbebenepisyo sa ating kababayan. At hindi kinakailangan maging kurakot," he added.

Pangilinan seeks a Senate comeback in the 2025 polls under the Liberal Party.

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