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Gutoc optimistic to win Senate seat despite low ranking in pre-election survey

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Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc kept smiling and cracking jokes in the final stretch of the campaign for the 2022 national elections, unbothered by the dip in her ranking in surveys in the senatorial race.</p><p>In Gutoc&#x27;s first senatorial bid in 2019, the Moro civic worker landed on the 25th spot. As she now attempts anew to become a senator, Pulse Asia&#x27;s final pre-election survey conducted in April showed that she might finish between 31st and 39th place, way below the 12 seats up for grabs in the Senate.</p><p>When asked how she feels about the decline, Gutoc smiled and said it is &quot;natural&quot; considering two factors: more prominent rivals and a smaller war chest.</p><p>&quot;Masikip (It&#x27;s tight). There are just so many of us who are high up there. Brother to a senator... father to a senator,&quot; she told ABS-CBN News on the sidelines of a recent campaign in Cebu City.</p><p>&quot;It’s organically natural for me [to rank low] because there are 16 brand names who are running. I had to fit in the top 30 as one of the second timers,&quot; she said, without naming other candidates.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/07/22/gutoc-urges-congress-to-ban-surveys-before-voting-day">Gutoc urges Congress to ban surveys before voting day</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2027032" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>In 2019, Gutoc ran under opposition slate Otso Diretso. Back then, eight of the 12 winners in the Senate race were former or incumbent senators, while the rest were allies of President Rodrigo Duterte.</p><p>This year, the senatorial race is so far dominated by candidates who are either current or former senators, television personalities and even a former vice president.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/22/raffy-tulfo-remains-as-top-senatorial-choice-in-april-pulse-asia-survey">Raffy Tulfo maintains lead as top senatorial choice in April Pulse Asia survey</a></li></ul><p>Unlike her maiden bid for the Senate, Gutoc is now officially part of political party Aksyon Demokratiko, which is fielding Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso as its standard bearer.</p><p>&quot;I think the presence and visibility was higher here during this campaign,&quot; Gutoc said, referring to the number of areas she was able to physically visit.</p><div><strong>&#x27;LESS&#x27; FINANCIAL RESOURCES</strong></div><p>While being part of a party has improved her machinery and capability to campaign in more areas, Gutoc noted that she had a small kitty this year since Aksyon Demokratiko is a younger political organization compared to the Liberal Party (LP), which backed the Otso Diretso slate in 2019.</p><p>&quot;Lesser to the max, lesser &#x27;yung financial. Isko is a mayor. [In 2019] I was supported by a national organization like LP talagang long ano [financial cord],&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I didn&#x27;t have a solo ad. I had a solo ad during the LP-Otso Diretso so talagang I have much to say na kulang,&quot; she said.</p><p>Gutoc said she has been trying to make up for the lost airtime by having more radio interviews, where she can play her jingle for free during her segment.</p><p>Some staffers had to join rival candidates&#x27; camps due to financial constraints, she said.</p><p>&quot;One of my key people is with [Raffy] Tulfo, one is with [Antonio] Trillanes. I couldn’t really give them an incentive to be with me,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;We’re really scratching for funds.&quot;</p><div><strong>IMPACT OF COVID-19 </strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Samira Gutoc" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/09/01/20210901-samira.jpg"/></figure></div><p>The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected opportunities to increase the awareness and visibility of candidates who are not yet household names, Gutoc said.</p><p>Aksyon Demokratiko candidates were eyeing to travel abroad in late 2021 or early 2022 to woo overseas voters, but the plan was foiled due to travel restrictions and a fresh wave of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines shortly after Christmas.</p><p>&quot;We were hoping na... makalabas kami kahit man lang sa Hong Kong or Saudi where I came from. Kasi sa Saudi ako lumaki so makatulong man lang ako,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;Nabakante yung December and January so we really had to fill in all the local areas [na na-miss],&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;We had to really gruel it out 15 hours a day so parang gymanstics, grabe sa katawan.&quot;</p><p>The devastation of Typhoon Odette in December also pushed back several pre-campaign events, Gutoc said.</p><p>&quot;I lost 2 months. Noong December when Typhoon Odette came, we lost,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I went to Mindanao, walang nangyari sa akin. I was just home-based. <br/>January wala din.&quot;</p><p>With odds stacked against her, Gutoc said she remains hopeful that she can get a Senate seat come election day as &quot;surveys do not tell the entire story.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I have a unique audience, loyalists in a way, &#x27;yung Muslim sector,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I think they will be the game changer for me.&quot;</p><div><strong>UNDERSTANDING ISKO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2027036" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso leads the oath taking of Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial candidates Samira Gutoc and Carl Balita at the Hidden Garden, Lawton, Manila on September 27, 2021. <em>Mores Heramis, ABS-CBN News</em></div><p>Despite falling down the pre-election charts this year, Gutoc said she has no regrets in joining Aksyon Demokratiko even though other camps have offered her a slot under their banner.</p><p>&quot;Naimbitahan ako kay BBM. Naimbitahan ako kay Sen. Bong Go. Naimbitahan din ako kay VP Leni to stay, but I said [sa] Bilis Kilos [ako],&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I know I can work for Bilis Kilos and I can add to the organization. Maliit kami pero with that philosophy, you can save lives,&quot; she said.</p><p>While Gutoc shares a tight bond with other members of the Aksyon Demokratiko slate, she admits that she had a rocky start finding her footing in the group.</p><p>In October, after supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo urged Domagoso to withdraw from the presidential race, the Aksyon standard bearer mocked the opposition&#x27;s 2019 Otso Diretso slate, saying they were flushed down the toilet.</p><p>&quot;Noong October, you were covering us, [sinabi ni Isko na kami ay na] inidoro. That touched me. Ngayon I’m still touched na kasama ako doon sa inidoro,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung withdraw Isko came since day 1, so he was really hurt .So, I had to understand things on my own even if nasha-shock ako minsan at that time,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I had to overcome also stereotypes of Isko, just as I have become subject of stereotypes... I understood where he is coming from.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/18/21/samira-disgusted-at-times-but-will-stay-with-iskos-2022-slate">Samira &#x27;disgusted at times&#x27; with Isko&#x27;s tirades vs Otso Diretso but will stay with Aksyon</a></li></ul><div><strong>NO BAD BLOOD WITH EX-COMRADES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2027051" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Even after switching to the camp of Domagoso, who has been criticizing Robredo and her allies, the Moro civic leader said she remains close with her former comrades from the opposition.</p><p>&quot;They always ask me kung nagtampuhan ba kayo [ng Otso Diretso],&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I have high respects for Chel [Diokno], sila Gary [Alejano], sila Pilo [Hilbay]. Sila [Antonio] Trillanes was one of my advisors. When we see each other sa mga rallies, hug to the max kila Risa [Hontiveros],&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;We can text each other, we can Viber each other. It’s just that the underpinning of why I went here, parang I have to do it face to face, baka hindi ko masyado nagawa pa,&quot; she said.</p><p>Despite these lingering connections, Gutoc says she has no plans of leaving Aksyon Demokratiko whether or not she wins the upcoming elections.</p><p>&quot;It’s not for opportunism. I was an Aksyon youth volunteer,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I hope the philosophy na ma-remind yung kapwa Pilipino, hindi ako naging oportunista dahil nandito ako. Talagang kasama ko sila nung kabataan ko.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/28/21/samira-gutoc-party-shift-doesnt-mean-i-betrayed-my-principles">Samira Gutoc: Move to Aksyon Demokratiko doesn’t mean I betrayed my principles</a></li></ul>

In her first senatorial bid in 2019, Samira Gutoc landed on the 25th spot. As she now attempts anew to become a senator, Pulse Asia's most recent pre-election survey showed that she might finish between 31st and 39th place, way below the 12 seats up for grabs in the Senate.

Gutoc optimistic to win Senate seat despite low ranking in pre-election survey

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Gutoc optimistic to win Senate seat despite low ranking in pre-election survey

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 08, 2022 12:16 PM PHT

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Updated May 09, 2022 12:08 PM PHT

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