Edsa I euphoria all over again

March 3, Dumaguete

8 p.m. - A political rally is held at the Benigno ?Ninoy? Aquino Jr. Freedom Park in front of the provincial capital for Sen. Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino III and the Liberal Party. Thousands attend but the lighting leaves half of the plaza dark, making it difficult to see the large crowd.

Noynoy?s running mate, Sen. Mar Roxas, establishes rapport with the audience. Like a television evangelist, he asks the crowd several times to affirm what he is saying and is obliged by his audience.

Aquino then speaks, talking to the crowd like it is just one person and he is letting him in on a secret. Without soaring oratory, he talks about his family?s experiences during martial law and the corruption of the Arroyo administration. The crowd applauds.

Aquino jokingly tells his audience not to applaud too much because it might encourage him to go on and on.

The rally ends with the singing of the 1980s protest song ?Bayan Ko.? The crowd forms the Laban sign with their fingers. Some politicians bring children to the stage, apparently as props. The scene is probably touching to Edsa ?86 veterans.

10 p.m. - Aquino and Roxas invite media for late night snacks at a restaurant along Dumaguete?s famous baywalk. The candidate tells the media his youngest sister Kris and her family will join later sorties.

Outside the restaurant, a crowd gathers after seeing the candidates. Aquino goes out to greet the people and have photographs taken with them, to the consternation of his security people.

March 4, Cotabato City

6:45 a.m.- Aquino arrives in Cotabato City with pro basketball star brother-in-law James Yap, who is married to his sister Kris. They are mobbed.

9 a.m.- The candidate visits two radio stations, which he usually does everywhere he goes to maximize his presence in an area through live interviews.

11:15 a.m.- Aquino and Yap depart for Pagadian City on a private jet. The candidate?s staff declines to say whose plane he is using.

1:15 p.m.- Aquino visits four radio stations. He and Yap are mobbed wherever they go.
4 p.m.- The candidate and his brother-in-law arrive in Zamboanga City where they meet up with Kris.

4:15 p.m.- Aquino holds a press conference and expresses pleasure that Kris and James have joined him and are drawing a crowd.

4:45 p.m.- The candidate has his first meal of the day, a curacha dish. He says he usually goes without food on a campaign day as he can get by on the adrenaline rush from the warm reception of people who want to hug him, shake his hand or take his picture.

5 p.m.- The Aquino motorcade begins. People occupy half of the two-way street and yellow confetti rain on the parade.

7 p.m.- Aquino is overwhelmed by the crowd of 80,000 that fills the Joaquin Enriquez Sports Complex, although most of them are eager to hear Kris. The candidate?s youngest sister says she has not seen such a big crowd since their mother?s funeral.