Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Sunday urged voters to get out of social media and join the person-to-person campaign for Otso Diretso senatorial candidates which after 45 days has inspired 15,000 volunteers to talk to 600,000 voters in 142 congressional districts nationwide.
“That is already about five times the number reached from the 10-week Project Makinig 1.0 from October to December 2018,” Pangilinan said, adding that this face-to-face campaign would trump the traditional national campaign methods used by the other senatorial candidates.
The Otso Diretso campaign manager said the opposition’s campaign does not have the resources or machinery of administration candidates. He said the Otso Diretso candidates also does not have the name recall of returning senators.
“Ang ating pangunahing lakas ay nasa mga kandidato natin mismo: mga taong mapagkakatiwalaan at maaasahan, mga taong may kasaysayan ng paglilingkod sa bayan, mga taong inaalay ang lakas, talino, at panahon para sa tama (Our biggest strength are our candidates, who are trustworthy and honest, who have a track record of serving the people, and who offer their energy, talent, and time to what is right),” he said.
March last year, the use of personal data of millions of Facebook users hogged the headlines for allegedly influencing the May 2016 elections.
“Ngayon, ganun pa rin ang nangyayari: Ginagamit ng mga pwersa ng kasinungalingan ang Facebook para siraan ang ating mga kandidato (This is still happening: Disinformation forces are using Facebook to destroy the reputation of our candidates),” he said.
“Pero hindi natin kayang makipagsabayan sa kanila. Wala tayong limpak-limpak para i-promote ang kandidatura nina Gary Alejano, Bam Aquino, Chel Diokno, Samira Gutoc, Pilo HIlbay, Romy Macalintal, Mar Roxas, at Erin Tañada sa Facebook at lalo na sa TV (But we cannot match their power. We don’t have their overflowing funds to promote the candidacies of Gary Alejano, Bam Aquino, Chel Diokno, Samira Gutoc, Pilo HIlbay, Romy Macalintal, Mar Roxas, and Erin Tañada on Facebook and especially on TV),” Pangilinan said.
“Bukod sa ating mga kandidato, meron din tayong Makinig 2.0, ang harapang pangungumbinsi sa ating kapwa botante sa mga nagawa na at gagawin pa ng ating mga kandidato (Aside from our candidates, we also have Makinig 2.0, the face-to-face persuasion of fellow voters to what our candidates have already done and will do),” Pangilinan added.
He said that If voters want to change the direction this administration to which it is leading our country and our children’s future, then everyone should help put the Otso Diretso candidates to office.
“Kung gusto nating baguhin ang direksyon na tinatahak ng administrasyong ito para sa ating bayan at para sa kinabukasan ng ating mga anak, kailangan nating magtulungan para ilagay sa Senado sina Gary Alejano, Bam Aquino, Chel Diokno, Samira Gutoc, Pilo HIlbay, Romy Macalintal, Mar Roxas, at Erin Tañada,” Pangilinan said.
“Kung ayaw natin na ituloy ang pagpatay sa libo-libo nating mga abang kababayan, ang pagyuko sa China, ang pagsangla sa ating mga likas-yaman tulad ng West Philippine Sea at Chico River, ang pambabastos sa kababaihan, ang pagpapalaya at pagpapatawad sa mga magnanakaw ng pondo ng bayan, sumama sa mga Makinig ops sa inyong komunidad, ikampanya ang mga kandidato ng Otso Diretso, at iboto sila sa darating na Mayo,” he added, asking the public to text 0949 888 2019 or visit volunteer.otsodiretso.ph to sign up for the