SENATORIAL bet and former Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Piñol urged voters not to get lost in the empty rhetoric brought by entertainment politics.

“Kalimutan muna natin ‘yung mga sayawan, kalimutan muna natin ‘yung mga kantahan, kalimutan muna natin ‘yung mga nakakasilaw na ilaw at liwanagin natin ang ating isipan: sino ang dapat mamuno sa ating bansa sa puntong ito na pinaka-critical sa kasaysayan ng ating bansa?” Piñol said.

The Cotabato governor presented the members of Team Lacson-Sotto, himself included, as a different breed of public servants who advocated for an issues-based campaign.

“Mga kaibigan, marami kayong narinig sa kabilang partido, pero hindi kami nakisawsaw. Hindi po kami sumama doon sa hiyawan, sigawan, murahan. Sapagkat ang gusto naming maintindihan ninyo ang totoong problema ng ating bayan at ang mga taong magbibigay-solusyon sa mga problemang ito,” Piñol said.

The Lacson-Sotto team focused on town hall meetings with multisectoral organization leaders where they discussed social, political and economic issues as well as possible solutions to pressing problems.

Lacson said he and Sotto plan to do more town hall forums in the final stretch of the campaign period.

“Kami laging dialogue. Pero, in the course of our open dialogue, ‘yung open forum, lumalakas, tumatapang ang loob kasi nga nakikita nila na nakikinig kami and pinapakinggan namin ‘yung kanilang sinasabi at may offer kaming solusyon kaagad,” the senator said.