Sara Duterte woos Davao del Norte voters; rallies support for HNP bets

TAGUM CITY, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Monday urged voters here not only to vote for the senatorial candidates of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) but also to do something for the country.

The presidential daughter presided over a massive rally here Monday and said everyone can help the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte by doing simple things such as cleaning canals and disposing of their garbage properly.

In a speech at the Davao del Norte sports complex in Barangay Mankilam before an estimated crowd of 65,000 supporters, Sara expressed her family’s “debt of gratitude” to Davao del Norte voters for their support to her father during the 2016 presidential election.

“Not all of the time a person is given a chance to become the president of all Filipinos, especially that he is from Mindanao. Our family owes a huge debt of gratitude to all of you for the opportunity you have given him,” said Sara, the founding chairperson of the regional political party.

In rallying support for the HNP bets, Sara said the administration candidates have promised to help the President in the remaining three years of his term,

Sara campaigned for former presidential aide Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, former Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa, presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, reelectionist Senators Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara and JV Ejercito, former Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Maguindanao Rep. Dong Mangudadatu, Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, former broadcast journalist Jiggy Manicad, and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos.

She said the 12 vowed to support Duterte’s programs and policies.

The Davao City mayor also urged supporters to make small contributions to the Duterte administration.

“All of us should contribute something to this administration. No matter how small that may seem, such as helping in the cleaning of canals in your homes, proper disposal of our garbage or recycling our wastes, that already are a huge contribution to his administration,” the presidential daughter said.

For her part, she said she promised her father to continue running a progressive and orderly Davao City.

During the HNP’s campaign stop in Davao Oriental on Monday morning, Sara also reacted to a statement by the President on Saturday that he does not want her daughter to run for president in 2022.

The President said during a campaign sortie in Bukidnon of the ruling party, Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), on Saturday that he is not in favor of his eldest daughter running for president to succeed him.

Sara said this was understandable.

She said her father’s apparent disapproval of her running for the highest position of the land was because he knew the hardship that goes with the job.

“It’s not easy. It consumes the whole of your time. It’s like the work of a mayor multiplied one million times,” she said.

Meanwhile, HNP’s campaign sortie in Mati City was attended by about 7,000 supporters, according to Karen Deloso, Davao Oriental information officer, said. /ee