Launch of “Mga Kaibigan” campaign of senatorial aspirants Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Bahay ng Alumni, University of the Philippines Diliman. —Photo by Dianne Sampang/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial aspirants Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan launched on Wednesday their campaign for the 2025 polls called “Mga Kaibigan,” emphasizing camaraderie.
According to their team, the grassroots campaign “aims to unite Filipinos around the platform of transparent governance, economic recovery, social justice, and youth empowerment.”
Aquino said that Senator Risa Hontiveros needs allies in the Congress. The former senator also said that seeking a Senate comeback bid was not an easy decision.
READ: Bam Aquino banking on track record, last name in 2025 elections
“Who will stand up for the people? Who will fight for your rights? Now, we see Senator Risa, and she needs allies,” Aquino said in his speech.
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“That’s why we talked, even when the life of a politician is not easy. It is not easy to enter politics again,” Aquino added.
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The former senator, in an interview with INQUIRER.net on Tuesday, said that his edge in the senatorial race is his surname and experience in the Senate. Aquino, the principal sponsor and co-author of the free tertiary education law, also noted that he will push for job security for K-12 and college graduates if he gets reelected.
Aquino served as a senator from 2013-2019. He lost his reelection bid in 2019 while he did not run in the 2022 elections so he could serve as campaign manager of presidential bet, Leni Robredo.
Further, Kiko Pangilinan said that he believes that the answer to the plight of the ordinary people does not lie on politicians involved in corruption.
READ: Pangilinan: Profitable farm enterprises to lure youth to agri sector
“The real solution and the one that will grant the dreams of the people lies on their hands, on their decision to choose the leaders that have no trace of anomalies,” Pangilinan said.
Pangilinan, who is also gunning for a Senate comeback bid, previously said that he will push for food security once elected. The former senator ran as vice president in the 2022 national elections, ranking second behind vice president Sara Duterte.
Meanwhile, Hontiveros said that she had been allies for a long time with the people she is supporting to clinch their seats in the Congress.
“It’s a lifelong friendship. We go way back. Rep. Perci (Cendaña) and I are founding members of Akbayan. Liberal party and Mamamayang Liberal, including Leila (de Lima), have been coalition partners for so long,” Hontiveros said in her speech.
“And of course, Kiko and Bam, colleague, friends that you can count on in this fight. It is very personal for me and I want to work with them again,” Hontiveros added.
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Akbayan Party-list’s first and second nominees Chel Diokno and Rep. Cendaña and Mamamayang Liberal first nominee and former senator De Lima also expressed their support toward Aquino and Pangilinan in their senatorial bids.
