Senate President Vicente Sotto III during a campaign rally in Jagna, Bohol on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Photo from Lacson-Sotto media bureau
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday urged voters to wisely choose the country鈥檚 next leaders, saying they should vote for the candidates who have unquestionable integrity and honesty.
Sotto is running for vice president alongside presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson.
Sotto said voters should scrutinize the campaign promises of the candidates and review if these are doable or were simply empty promises given to entice the public to vote for them.
鈥淲e should make sure that our country鈥檚 next leaders have the track record of carrying out true public service, especially during difficult times. These should be included in their meter stick on who would best lead the country,鈥� he said.
鈥淲alang duda na mahal po nating lahat ang ating bansa. Ganun din ang ating mga pamilya, lalo na ang ating mga anak. Sa pagpunta po natin sa mga voting centers sa Lunes, nawa鈥檡 maalala natin na kinabukasan ng ating bansa at pamilya, lalo na ng ating mga anak at iba pang mga kabataan, ang nakasalalay sa isang boto natin. Sa isang boto, maraming buhay ang maaapektuhan. Sa isang boto, mababago natin ang antas ng buhay ng bawat isa, ng bawat Pilipino. Sa isang boto, aangat o babagsak ang ating bansa,鈥� Sotto said.
He added: 鈥淭ayo po ay maging mapanuri. Kilalanin po nating mabuti ang ating mga kandidato. Busisiin natin ang kanilang platapotma, timbangin ang kanilang kakayanan. May bahid ba ang kanilang integridad? Sila ba ay naging tapat sa sambayanang Pilipino? Ano na ang kanilang nagawa para sa ating bansa, lalo na para mapabuti ang kabuhayan ng nga Pilipino? Ito po ang mahahalagang katanungan na maaari nating itanong bilang guide sa ating pagpili ng ating mga susunod na lider.鈥�
Sotto said he has the qualities that would make him the best choice for the vice president position, citing his decades-long public service in both the executive and legislative branches of the government and his legislative accomplishments.
Among others, Sotto is best remembered for his rejection of the Reproductive Health measure, which allowed family planning methods to control the size of families and which ran contrary to the position of the Catholic church.
The Senate President has likewise carried out numerous outreach programs to help families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and calamities such as typhoons and earthquakes.
鈥淩emember who Tito Sotto is to you. Nagtrabaho ako ng mabuti may camera man o wala. Nanindigan ako para pangalagaan ang moral values nating mga Pilipino base sa turo ng ating mga magulang at relihiyon. Naglingkod ako ng may respeto sa aking kapwa at hindi nakisawsaw sa awayan at negativity. Ginawa ko ang tama sa mata ng Diyos at para sa ating mga Pilipino,鈥� Sotto said.
Sotto has been in public service since 1988 when he was vice mayor of Quezon City. He has served four terms in the Senate, and has been the Senate President since 2018.
鈥淪erbisyong tapat at maaasahan, iyan ang aking alay sa ating bansa at sa lahat ng pamilyang Pilipino,鈥� Sotto said.