Official campaign period kicks off for national candidates

Hugpong ng Pagbabago launches its campaign for national positions in the May elections in San Fernando City in Pampanga on Feb. 12, 2019. INQUIRER.NET / CATHRINE GONZALES

MANILA, Philippines — The campaign period for national candidates officially kicked off on Tuesday, Feb. 12.

Over 60 senatorial bets and 154 party-list groups will be more visible as the 90-day national campaign starts for the upcoming May elections.

Senatorial slate of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) will hold their campaign programs in San Fernando and Clark, Pampanga, on Tuesday.

The presidential daughter’s party is endorsing 13 senatorial bets in the coming May elections, namely: Senators Cynthia Villar, Aquilino Pimentel III, JV Ejercito and Juan Edgardo Angara; former Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla and Pia Cayetano; Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, former national police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, former Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino and journalist Jiggy Manicad.

Some senatorial bets of President Rodrigo Duterte’s political party PDP-Laban will join HNP’s campaign kick-off event.

Mangudadatu, Dela Rosa, Go, Pimentel and Tolentino are also running under the PDP-Laban banner. The PDP-Laban slate is set to hold its own campaign kick-off event in in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, on Feb. 14.

Meanwhile, the coalition of opposition parties Otso Diretso will hold its kick-off event in Caloocan City also on Tuesday.

The Otso Diretso line-up includes Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, re-electionist Senator Bam Aquino, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, civic leader Samira Gutoc, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, and former Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada.

Roxas, however, will skip the event in Caloocan City because of another event in his home province in Roxas City, Capiz.

The opposition slate will continue its campaign in Naga City, Camarines Sur, on Feb. 13.

On the other hand, re-electionist Senator Grace Poe, an independent candidate, will attend a school-feeding program on Tuesday. She is set to hold a kick-off rally in Tondo, Manila, on Feb. 13.

Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares, running for senator under the banner of Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan, is scheduled to meet with senior citizens in Old Balara and host a forum with University of the Philippines (UP) Law students and professors.

Colmenares will also attend a proclamation rally to be held in Muntinlupa City later in the day. /cbb