MANILA, Philippines -- Speaking in front of hundreds of people wearing yellow shirts and in front of the biggest and most influential families in Marikina, presidential candidate Richard Gordon and his running mate Bayani Fernando declared themselves to be the most experienced and most qualified for the two highest posts in the country.

Gordon and Fernando joined the Ka-angkan Festival on Saturday night in Marikina City, an annual festival, which Fernando started as a city mayor in 1998. The festival gathers members of the city's big clans.

Gordon's campaign color is red. But sought for comment, Fernando explained that yellow was the campaign color of a local politician who belonged to a big family.

The city is the home of a huge Teodoro clan, said to be related to presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro. It is the family of Marikina Rep. Marcelino Teodoro who is an ally of Fernando.

There is also a big Roxas clan in the city, traced to Jose Roxas who moved to the city in 1940. The clan is said to have pioneered shoe-making in the city, but it was not clear if the family is related to vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas.

But Gordon and Fernando apparently did not mind as they took turns speaking on the stage erected in the middle of the Marikina City Sports Park where some 5,000 people gathered.

They also took turns praising each other's accomplishments as executive officials.

Gordon served as Olongapo City mayor, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chair, tourism secretary, Philippine Red Cross chair and senator while Fernando served as Marikina City mayor and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair.

Fernando also said Gordon belonged to the Marikina City's biggest clan, the Nepomucenos. Gordon later said his mother, Amelia Nepomuceno Guico, used to bring him to Marikina when he was young.

Gordon cited parallelisms between Olongapo City and Marikina City.

He said Olongapo City suffered but recovered from the Pinatubo eruption in 1991and the same thing happened to Marikina City with the Ondoy flood in 2009.

Gordon praised the fast recovery of the hardest hit Marikina and said that he was among the first few officials who immediately responded to help in the rescue during the Ondoy flood.

Fernando also said: "The country needs what Marikina City has experienced."

His wife Marides has completed the maximum three terms as mayor and the family is supporting the mayoral bid of vice mayor Marion Andres whose local ticket has transferred from the administration party to Gordon's Bagumbayan party.

The city operates its Ka-angkan Family History Center collects and records information about the more than 40 huge clans in Marikina that date back to the 1900s.

In his speech, Gordon praised the festival, which he said was the "most unique festival in the world" that recognizes the importance of strong family ties.

But he also said, in an apparent dig to presidential bet Noynoy Aquino, that candidates should not depend on their "genes" and should make their families proud by being able to stand on their own capabilities.

Gordon also said, in an apparent reference to presidential bet Manny Villar, that candidates who spent so much money would find ways to recover what they splurged, if the got elected.

In contrast, he said he and Fernando would give "the most honest and the most effective government this country ever had."

He again lambasted survey results that showed him and Fernando lagging behind in the race, saying that commissioning a survey cost more than P2 million.

He told the crowd: "Don't let surveys take away your capacity to think."

Fernando also told reporters he did not believe in surveys, and expressed confidence they could still win.

Fernando said: "I am happy that our people are beginning to understand the importance of political will, which has been my advocacy."