POE DOUBLES EFFORT AS ELECTION DAY NEARS

PAMPANGA--With only 38 days to go before the May 9 elections, presidential race frontrunner Sen. Grace Poe said she and her slate will double their efforts to visit more places in the country.

Poe, who leads voter surveys as the top choice for president, said she and running mate Sen. Francis Escudero, along with the senatorial bets of their Partido Galing at Puso coalition, will be visiting a number of provinces in the coming weeks.

These include Cebu, Samar, Batangas, Catanduanes Laguna, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Marinduque and Rizal. They will also be going around Metro Manila.

"Basta double time lang naman. Marami rin naman tayong napupuntahan na, hindi lang naman itong kampanya na ito," Poe said during an interview in Angeles City, Pampanga.

This is Poe's second time in Pampanga this month. Poe, Escudero and their senatoriables also held a political rally here on March 1.

Poe said she is grateful for the warm reception by Cabalens.

"Doon naman tayo bumababa sa mga bara-barangay. Sa atin namang pag-iikot, mainit pa rin ang pagtanggap ng ating mga kababayan. Sa mga lumabas na pag-aaral sa preference ng mga botante dito, e okay naman po tayo," she added."

The senator, an independent candidate, said she is not worried that some of her rivals have already campaigned all over the country and are just now revisiting some areas. What matters, she said, is that she is able to communicate her platform of government.

"Hindi ako nababahala sapagkat kahit na marami na silang napuntahan, kami naman ay patuloy pa ring nagsisipag na nag-iikot. At ang mga lugar na hindi man namin napuntahan kaagad ngayong kampanya, mapupuntahan natin sa kalaunan at hindi lamang 'yon, napuntahan na rin namin dati," she said.

In her campaign sorties, Poe shares her proposed programs for a free kinder-to-college education for indigents and a free lunch program in all public day care centers and elementary schools nationwide within her first 100 days in office.

In Pampanga, she also reiterated the need to lower income taxes in order to increase the take-home pay of teachers and other salaried workers, provide livelihood opportunities for women, and intensify the fight against criminality and illegal drugs.