Kiko ‘thankful’ for Sharon, Sotto family get together: It’s time to move forward

For outgoing Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, the recent get together of his wife, Sharon Cuneta, with outgoing Senate President Vicente Sotto III and his family signaled the healing phase for both families from the 2022 national and local elections.

Although he wasn’t there to accompany his wife during her visit to the Sotto family, Pangilinan said he is “thankful” that it happened.

“I’m thankful that it happened and it's time to move forward,” Pangilinan said in an ANC interview.

On Sunday, Cuneta shared photos of herself hugging Sotto, Helen Gamboa and the other members of the Senate president's family.

In October last year, Sharon admitted to having a “heavy heart” when her husband and his uncle, Sotto, both filed their certificates of candidacy to run for the vice presidency in Eleksyon 2022.

Pangilinan had also said that running against his uncle-in-law was “not an easy situation.”

Sotto and Pangilinan lost to Vice President-elect Sara Duterte, who will be having her inauguration on June 19 in Davao City.

Last December, Pangilinan said he was looking forward to “reconciliation and forgiveness“ with Sotto and his family when the dust of the vice presidential elections settles in 2022.

On the other hand, Pangilinan said he did not regret running for vice president in the 2022 polls as he was able to push his food security advocacy during his campaign.

“No regrets at all because if I think about it, if I didn't accept the challenge, forever, I would have asked myself until the day I die: 'What if I did that?' I have no regrets,” Pangilinan said.

“I was able to bring the agenda of our farmers and fisherfolk front and center and we will continue to do so,” he added.

Further, Pangilinan said that their 2022 campaign was for the next generation and it was an attempt to seek an “empowering, people-centered, responsive, and effective governance.”

The outgoing lawmaker also expressed willingness to support the administration of President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. if the programs are “good.”

“In my case, if the programs are good, of course we will support but if the programs are insufficient, then let us push for better programs and say we should be able to do or approach it differently,” he said.

“That has always been our position ever since. Under the administration of President [Gloria-Macapagal] Arroyo, under the administration of [President Benigno] Noynoy [Aquino], and [President Rodrigo] Duterte. If we think it should be supported we would. We've endorsed, passed, voted in favor of many measures because we felt that it was good for the country,” Pangilinan said. — RSJ, GMA News