SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Gov. Lilia Pineda yesterday denied reports that Malacañang has been sending emissaries to convince her to run for Congress in next year’s elections against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“In fairness to President Aquino, no one among the members of Liberal Party has talked to me about even joining the administration,” she said.
“No one has been convincing me to run against the former president for whom I have great respect,” she added.
Joel Mapiles, Pineda’s information officer, said the governor was reacting particularly to STAR columnist Federico Pascual who had written that she was being made to run against Arroyo in next year’s congressional race in the second district of Pampanga.
Pineda said she is not interested in a congressional post and prefers her present position that enables her to “deal with programs and services that directly serve the people.”
“That’s my line of expertise and not legislation,” she said. “I love doing my job now as elected governor of my province.”
Pineda said she remains grateful to the Aquino administration for helping the province “in so many ways.”
“The President is providing assistance through the provision of PhilHealth cards to more than 47,000 Capampangan families identified under the National Household Targeting System, the conditional cash transfer program, assistance to farmers such as provision of farm machineries, certified seeds, construction of farm-to-market roads, irrigation canals, roads, bridges, among others,” she said.
“President Aquino is taking care of Pampanga. During the recent floods, he even visited us here,” she said.
Pineda said campaigning for next year’s elections is not her priority now.
“I am too busy attending to the needs of Capampangans who were affected by the torrential rains in the past weeks,” she said. – With Ric Sapnu