Re-electionist senators try to drum up support in vote-rich Tondo

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Grace Poe led other re-electionists senators in a proclamation rally on Wednesday in Tondo — a district of Manila widely reputed to be heavily populated by the masa — the common folk.

Poe, an independent candidate, invited Senate re-electionists Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Aquilino Pimentel III, and Cynthia Villar to her rally.

Poe said she chose Tondo because the area reflected the country’s current state.

“Maraming nagtatanong sa akin: Bakit mo nilatag ang inyong announcement sa Tondo? […] Bakit hindi na lang sa mall na malamig? O sa gym na maluwag?” Poe told Tondo residents who flocked to the section of Zaragoza Street in front of the R. Almario Elementary School.

[Many people were asking me: Why do your announcement in Tondo? Why not in a mall where it’s cool? Or in a gym where there’s a lot of space?]

Sen. Grace Poe, in white shirt holding a microphone, addresses a crowd in Tondo, Manila, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019. With her are fellow re-electionist senatorial candidates (from left): JV Ejercito, Aquilino Pimentel III, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, and Sonny Angara. (Photo by RYAN LEAGOGO / INQUIRER.net)

“Dahil sa Tondo mo makikita ang totoo,” she explained. “Sa Tondo mo makikita ang tunay na salamin ng buhay […] Hindi kailangang umikot sa lahat ng lugar para malaman lang ang pulso ng bayan dahil dito sa Tondo. Magkakapit-bahay ang mga Ilocano, Cebuano, Waray, Muslim, Kapampangan, Pangasinese, Ibanag at lahat ng iba’t-ibang uri ng tao sa ating bayan.”

[Because it’s in Tondo where you can see the truth. It’s in Tondo where you can see a true reflection of life. Because we have Tondo, you don’t need to go around many other places to get the pulse of the nation. Here the neighbors come from all over the country – Ilocanos, Cebuanos, Warays, Muslims, Pampangueños, Pangasinenses, Ibanags.]

READ

Poe: Tondo reflects true situation of the entire nation

LOOK: Proclamation rally in Tondo

Sotto’s endorsement

Poe and her colleagues at the Tondo rally — along with Otso Diretso stalwart Sen. Bam Aquino — the seven re-electionist senators who form a ticket being endorsed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

According to Sotto, who raised Poe’s hands as an endorsement, he was endorsing them to keep the unity and independence of the Senate.

“Yes, I am supporting all the re-electionist senators simply because, as you can see, the trust and confidence of that people have for them, based on the surveys, have never been this high. That means it’s not just because of the leadership but because of the members,” Sotto, speaking in a mix of English and Filipino, said in an ambush interview.

“We will support all the re-electionists,” he added. “I will go wherever they may need me, in important areas. For example, in this launching by Grace, I’m here. On the 19th, I will also be at the launching of Angara in Aurora. I’ll also be at the launching of Nancy, Cynthia, and JV.”

READ: Sotto willing to endorse all re-electionist senators to maintain Senate unity

Poe and Binay are the only independent candidates among the re-electionists.

Pimentel, who is running under PDP-Laban, was endorsed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago — along with Angara, Ejercito, and Villar.

Aquino was unable to attend the Tondo rally because as Otso Diretso, the opposition coalition, held its own sortie in Naga City, Camarines Sur.

Banters and puns

As the proclamation rally was held on Feb. 13, a day before Valentine’s Day, love was naturally in the air, with Angara, Pimentel, and Escudero — who campaigned for Poe — were accompanied by their wives.

Escudero’s wife, actress Heart Evangelista who’s celebrating her day on Feb. 14, went up onstage to request votes for Poe as a birthday gift.

At one point, Pimentel called her wife, chef Kathrina Yu-Pimentel, to join him in serenading the crowd in a duet of the song “Endless Love.”

“Mga kaibigan, ano bang petsa ngayon? February 13? Ano ba bukas? So, imbes na mag-speech tayo rito, kakantahan ko na lang kayo ng love song for Valentines bukas,” Pimentel said. “Tawagin ko yung aking misis, para mag-duet kami.”

[So, friends, what’s the date today? February 13? And tomorrow is? So, instead of making a speech, I will sing for you a love song for Valentine’s. I will just call on my wife to do a duet with me.”

Meanwhile, Angara joked about why his wife, Tootsy, who surprised him with her attendance.

“Ginulat po niya ko. Di ko akalain na dadating siya. Dahil sa pagmamahal nandirito siya. Palagay ko, naninigurado lang siya, dahil Valentines’ Day bukas, kung talagang pupunta ko dito. Baka iba ang puntahan ko,” he said as his wife went on stage and waved at the crowd.

[She surprised me. I had no idea she was coming. She’s here because of love. Actually, I think she’s just making sure, considering that it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, if I’m really going to be here. Maybe she suspects I was going somewhere else.]

Angara then cracked a green joke — a day after drawing flak for a breastfeeding joke he made in Pampanga.

He reminded senior citizens in the audience of their 20 percent discount — which is also honored in motels and hotels.

“Sino po ang mag-checheck-in bukas, Valentines? OK, 20 percent discount ha? Pakisabi na lang kay Lolo: Build, build, build tayo bukas,” he said.

[Who among you are checking in tomorrow for Valentines? OK, remember the 20 percent discount. Please tell Lolo tomorrow: Let’s build, build, build.]

Then, there were senators who poked fun at themselves, like Ejercito.

“Alam niyo po, galing ako sa Bataan. Sabi ng mga tao, sabi: ‘Ay, JV ang gwapo mo pala sa personal. Bakit sa TV ang laki laki mo? Akala namin ikaw yung trainer ni Manny Pacquiao,’ he said.

[You now, I was in Bataan. The people there told me: “Hey, JV you’re so handsome in person. Why is it that on TV you look so big? You look like the trainer of Manny Pacquiao.]

“Sabi ko: ‘Hindi talaga ako telegenic.’ Pero mas mabuti na yung gwapo sa personal, di ba? Tama ba?” he added.

[So I told them: I’m really not telegenic. But it’s better to look handsome in person, right? Am I right?]

Meanwhile, Villar spoke about creating more jobs, but she took a different spin after that, offering an explanation of her monicker, Mrs. Hanapbuhay.

“At siyempre, pag tayo’y tumutulong, mamahalin tayo ng ating mga asawa. Totoo ba yon?” Villar said.

[Of course, when we’re helping the family earn, our husbands will love us. Isn’t that true? ]

“Ako magaling maghanap buhay kaya mahal ako ni Manny. Pagbubutihin natin ang paghahanap-buhay nang tayo’y mahalin ng mga lalaking yan, tama ba?”

[I’m good at earning a living. That’s why Manny loves me. So let’s work hard at earning a living so that these men will love us, right?]

She was referring to her husband, former Sen. Manny Villar. /atm