Heart urges voters be discerning, study candidates' tract record

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY-- Actress and global brand ambassador Heart Evangelista-Escudero  urged the 67.5M Filipino voters to be discerning and to study carefully the track record and agenda for governance of all candidates before voting in next month’s national polls.

Evangelista-Escudero said, in a presscon on Mobday, April 4 that she is doing her part as a conscientious voter and citizen, while campaigning for her husband Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero, who is seeking a fresh six-year term in the Senate.

“In 2007, I didn’t know him (Chiz) personally, and I remember I saw him in an event in La Union and he spoke so well. Doon pa lang hinangaan ko na siya. And it was really refreshing to know somebody who knows what he is saying. So, I did my research and I discovered the many things he has done as a public servant,” Evangelista said when asked by a journalist if she will still vote for Escudero if they were not a couple.

The actress then said people should do their own research to get to know the candidates more and help them make an informed decision when they finally cast their ballots on May 9.  

“I think this is something that we should also practice. We just do not look at the ads or what is in front of us but we should be responsible enough to do research and I did research about him,” she added.

When asked if she and her husband share a common candidate, especially for president and vice president, Evangelista said they are still discussing and assessing the candidates.

"Meron akong napupusuan pero again ayokong magmadali… We both respect each other’s choices, hindi kami nag-aaway ng dahil lang dun at hindi tayo dapat nag-aaway-away dahil lang sa politics,” Evangelista said.

Evangelista defended Escudero's policy to declare Sorsogon as an “open province” to all political parties and candidates who want to campaign, saying the move is benefitting the Sorsognanons as they get to hear the platform of governance of each candidate.

"Si Chiz bilang ama ng Sorsogon, kaya wala syang isang taong pinipili, you don’t want to give an impression that you want them (the people of the province) to just vote for one person. He wants them to see every candidate so people can have a choice. It is democracy that you have to introduce everybody and you are not biased to any of them because everybody has a choice. Iyon siguro din ang dahilan niya kaya lahat sila, dinadala at hino-host sa Sorsogon. And I think that is beautiful,” she ended.(Photos: Robby Alugar)