DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio endorses the senatorial candidates of Hugpong ng Pagbabago during a recent speech. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Sen. Panfilo Lacson sees a tilt from the father to the daughter as he named Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as the next possible president of the country.

Lacson said the President’s daughter is tops among the country’s emerging young, fresh faces in politics.

The outspoken lawmaker credited Duterte-Carpio’s strong will, which sideliners view as inherited from her father President Rodrigo Duterte and the stern, vibrant and progressive mind of the Davao City mayor that made Lacson think of her as the next possible Philippine president.

The senator said Duterte-Carpio obviously has good leadership qualities and her track record in public service and experience as a local government official show all these.

“Make no mistake — if the next leader of our country would emerge from the young, fresh and new faces in national politics, my top choice right now is Sara Duterte,” Lacson said.

But while the senator is optimistic about Duterte-Carpio’s leadership, Lacson clarified his statement was based on his “own analysis and observation, being a part of Philippine politics for almost two decades.”

“In fact, we have yet to see or hear any other young, fresh and new personality emerging as a probable next leader,” Lacson said.

The senator also clarified that he is not endorsing but rather stating a matter of fact in opinion.

“Nobody has declared, not even Mayor Sara. So, it may sound presumptuous, even improper for me to throw my support or endorse her,” Lacson said.

The Davao City mayor said she would decide by January 2021 whether to run for president in 2022. She said running for the highest post is not thought about overnight.

“It needs money and machinery, but the most important thing is wisdom and guidance from the Lord. Maybe, let’s just set a deadline, January 2021,” Duterte-Carpio said in an earlier interview.

Apart from Lacson, reelectionist Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara also sees Duterte-Carpio’s potential at becoming a good leader for the country, saying the President’s daughter “has the makings of a good president and people are looking for new and young leaders to lead our country and the future.”

Angara noted her long experience as a local government official and stressed that the Davao City mayor has the “best mentor” in his father, President Duterte.

“Mayor Sara has the training, experience, savvy and going around the country with Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) will only give her a better perspective on the country’s problems,” Angara said. “Plus, she has probably the best mentor one can have with President Digong training and advising her on national issues.”

On Tuesday, Duterte-Carpio was on a trip to Santiago City in Isabela from Claveria, Cagayan where she visited several churches she found along the way.

She said she is on “a prayer journey with her personal wishes.”

Riding a Yamaha XSR 900 motorbike she named Ella, Duterte-Carpio said she also wants to promote Davao City to people she encountered along the way.

“We’re on a prayer journey. I am praying for something personal and, of course, we are promoting Davao City,” Duterte-Carpio told Daily Tribune. “Whenever we go, we always invite them to visit Davao City.”

“For every church, I always leave one letter – two usually – for my friends,” said Duterte-Carpio. “Of course, I have my personal wishes also and we are praying for the HnP senatorial bets.”

Duterte-Carpio visited seven churches around Luzon, including churches in Paoay and Manaoag and a cathedral in Baguio. Riding a motorcycle is more economical than riding a chopper or a plane, she said.

She is currently serving as the campaign manager of HnP, her regional political party, which is backing 13 senatorial candidates and is now going around North Luzon as part of their caravan.