“TODAY we start,” former senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan tells a group of grassroots leaders gathered in a conference room in a hotel named New Dawn in Cagayan de Oro yesterday.

Today, Pangilinan says, the fight against poverty, for accountability in government, for reforms, begins.

Today, Pangilinan says looking at each community leader in the eye, we begin fighting for reforms.

“If we elect two good presidents and have two consecutive terms, twelve years of reforms, we will have an unrecognizable Philippines.”

Pangilinan says they learned a valuable lesson in 2022: An eight-month campaign can not win you the presidency.

That is why, he tells the gathering, “we have to start now.”

“We shall win 2025. We shall win 2028. And we shall fight for the Philippines we all want for our children,” he says.

Pangilinan admits that like 2022, next year’s polls is an uphill battle.

PADAYON. Senator Risa Hontiveros speaks at a press conference at New Dawn Hotel in Cagayan de Oro on September 23, revealing that Tony Yang, allegedly involved in POGO operations in Alwana, Cugman, is also wanted in China for a financial scam. Joining her are Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino, Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, and Jose Manuel ‘Chel’ Diokno, as they officially launched their senatorial bids in the city. Photo by Shiela Mae Butlig

“We are the underdogs here,” he says.

But he notes that the political climate has changed and even local officials who were reluctant to shake hands with them in 2022 are opening their doors in welcome.

He says they seldom got to meet with local officials in the 2019 and 2022 campaigns as many were too afraid of ending up in the Duterte narcolist, the same list that is now being exposed as a sham list, made purposely to spread fear among political opponents of the past administration.

Pangilinan says he, along with fellow candidates for the Senate Jose Manuel ‘Chel’ Diokno and Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino, are eager for next year’s polls since the country, he stresses, is facing a critical junction.

The battle lines between opposing candidates are clearly drawn, according to Pangilinan.

“Sino ba dyan ang pro-China? Sino ba dyan ang pro-Pogo? Sino ba dyan ang tumahimik sa Pharmally at iba pang katiwalian?”

Pangilinan says he hopes to spark and rekindle the volunteerism that fueled the massive Kakampink rallies of 2022.

But he asks supporters to be more inclusive and reach out to even those who supported other candidates in 2022.

“All of us are in the same boat after all.”

“So please, those you unfollowed (in Facebook), follow them again. Yung mga in-unfriend, paki friend uli. Yung mga GCs (group chat) nyo paki buhay uli. Kailangan natin ipanalo ito,” Pangilinan said.