Pampanga Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda has appealed to voters in the province to avoid quarreling over their national candidates and respect those campaigning in local areas.
Governor Pineda also assured that while he would endorse several candidates, he would not impose his choices on his fellow Kapampangans.
“Nung ating maka-Ping Lacson, still, respetuan ta la. Ating maka-Manny Pacquiao, ating maka-Isko Moreno, we respect them. Epu kailangan na itamung Kapampangan mipate-pate tamu pu uling reng kandidatung areni (If there are pro-Ping Lacson, pro-Manny Pacquiao or pro-Isko Moreno, we respect them. We Kapampangans do not have to fight over these candidates),” the 45-year-old governor said. He made the remarks before he handed payments for emergency jobs under TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers) at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here on Tuesday (Dec. 21, 2021).
He gave the advice as the mood heats up in the run up to the 2022 polls. “Nung ninu man pu lungub king Pampanga, tanggapan ta la. Eta la pu babastusan, buri ta la o ali (Whoever enters Pampanga, let’s accept them. Do not be discourteous to them, whether we like them or not),” the governor advised.
“Nung ninu man pu lumapit kekami, manyad audience, tandanan yu pu ini pung gobernador yu marap ya pu para iwelcome la rening kandidatung a reni (Whoever comes to us and wants an audience, I, your governor, will receive and welcome his/her),” he added.
As Governor Pineda appealed for respect to national bets, he also committed to respect the freedom of choice of voters.
“Lilino ku rin pu kekayu, karing anggang Kapampangan, at kareng anggang aliuang organisasyong, kareng aliuang pulitiko, it doesn’t mean na buri ke ing kandidatung ayni, tinalakad ku king kandidatung ayni, ya ing inaanounce ku, ya pin ing iboto ning Pampanga. Ali pu. Malaya kayu pung bumoto king buri yu. Eyu pu kailangang sumunod ketang buri ku. Respetuan ku pu kada desisyun na ning metung a Kapampangan nung ninung pilinan yung kandidatu. (Let me clarify this to all of you, to all Kapampangans, to other organizations and politicians, Pampanga does not have to vote for the candidates I will endorse. You are free to vote for those you like. You don’t have to follow my decision. I will respect your decision to pick candidates of your choice),” he explained.
Pampanga’s 19 towns and three cities have 1,460,302 registered voters in the 2019 elections, according to the Commission on Elections.