Loren: Team-up with Chiz not yet sealed
Sen. Loren Legarda on Saturday said the “Chiz-Loren” tandem in 2010 is not yet sealed, hinting that she is still open to running with other presidential aspirants.
“Ang maliwanag dito, ako ay naglahad ng plataporma ko at kung sino ang makakapagpatupad ng aking makakalikasan, makatao at makabayang plataporma ang siyang tingin ko na aking magiging katambal,” Legarda told radio dzMM.
The senator said she and Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who has delayed his declaration to run for president in 2010, have been engaged in talks about their plan for next year’s elections.
“Patuloy kaming mag-uusap ngayong linggong ito,” she said.
The senator added that other groups, including the camps of presidential aspirants Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Sen. Manuel Villar, have been courting her for a possible team-up in 2010.
She maintained that a team-up with Teodoro, who is running under the banner of the political administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, would be impossible because she is not planning to leave the political opposition and her party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
Legarda, meanwhile, refused to directly answer if there is a chance for her to run in tandem with fellow oppositionist, Villar, who is running under the Nacionalista Party.
NPC head is for Chiz-Loren tandem
Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, who was present when Legarda declared her vice-presidential bid at Rizal Park in Manila on Friday, had said that his father, NPC chairman Danding Cojuangco is committed to supporting the Chiz-Loren tandem.
Cojuangco also belied reports that his father may also back Teodoro’s bid, which sparked rumors of a possible “Gibo-Loren” tandem.
Speaking before a crowd of supporters, Legarda announced her “pro-poor, pro-environment” platform. She said it was her intention to educate and protect every Filipino from the effects of poverty and climate change.
“We all need a strong economy but it should be felt by every sector and every Filipino. No Filipino should die for lack of money for hospitalization or lack of medicine. No Filipino should die of hunger because they have no food. We should take care of the farmers and the fishermen. We should help feed the people who are feeding us,” she said.
The senator did not immediately declare her vice-presidential bid in her speech, and disclosed her political plan only after being asked by members of the media.
In declaring her bid to once again run for the second highest office, Legarda pointed to her humanitarian work as the main reason for her bid and said she was “heeding the call of the people.” ABS-CBN News
