Robredo hopes Bicol vote will offset opposition’s drawback in Mindanao

Vice President Leni Robredo (center) poses with Otso Diretso senatorial candidates (from left) former House Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, civic leader Samira Gutoc, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Sen. Bam Aquino, and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano. (Photo from the Otso Diretso Facebook account)

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo admitted Thursday that Otso Diretso’s odds of winning in Mindanao remains low as the southern region continues to be “sympathetic” to President Rodrigo Duterte, the first Mindanaoan Chief Executive.

But Robredo hopes that votes from Bicol, her home region, would compensate for the opposition’s weakness in other parts of the country.

“Sa Bicol po kasi, iyong sa survey, from the very start, mataas… mataas iyong walo. Actually, sa buong Pilipinas, dito sila sa Bicol medyo consistent. Iyong mas problema talaga iyong Mindanao,” Robredo said in an interview while campaigning for the eight-member opposition team in Donsol, Sorsogon.

“Iyong problema talaga sa Mindanao kasi dahil siguro kasi oposisyon, iyong mga… iyong mga sympathetic kay Presidente, talagang… talagang dina-down. So ang hope natin na iyong lakas nila sa Bicol iyon din iyong, parang, magko-compensate… sa hina sa ibang lugar,” she added.

The Bicol region is the 6th vote-rich region in the country, with 3.6 million registered voters, while the total number of registered voters in Mindanao was 12.7 million, according to Commission on Elections data.

While Robredo also admitted the slate’s campaign failed to cover most parts of the country, she hopes the credentials of Otso Diretso contenders, coupled with their volunteer-driven movement, would usher them to victory.

READ: Otso Diretso volunteers: All heart amid rising odds

“Siguro iyon naman iyong advantage na iyong kandidato mo mahuhusay talaga kasi iyong tao kusang naglalakad. Sabi ko nga, pambihira iyong kampanyang ito kasi mayroong mga kampanya na gagastos iyong kandidato para may mapaikot na mga tao. Pero ito, tao mismo,” the Liberal Party president said.

“Realistic kami pero hopeful. Sana iyong nangyari sa akin noong 2016, iyon din iyong mangyayari sa kanila,” Robredo added.

Pulse Asia’s April survey showed Otso Diretso bets continue to lag behind in the senatorial race, with only reelectionist Senator Bam Aquino making it to the survey’s list of probable winners.

READ: Poe, Villar share lead in Pulse Asia senatorial survey for April

Of the survey’s 14 probable winners, 10 are running under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago coalition, while one is running as an independent candidate. The other three are running under three different political parties – Nationalist People’s Coalition, United Nationalist Alliance, and LP.

READ: Unfazed opposition to push ‘honorable’ campaign

Opposition’s campaign manager, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, shares Robredo’s hope that Aquino, Romy Macalintal, Erin Tañada, Florin Hilbay, Samira Gutoc, Mar Roxas, Gary Alejano, and Chel Diokno could pull off a “surprise victory” in the May 13 midterm polls.

READ: Kiko: Senate race far from over, Otso bets’ surprise win possible

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