Presidential campaign highlights: Week 4

SIX PRESIDENTIAL BETS (left to right, starting on top): Vice President Leni Robredo, former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., labor leader Leody de Guzman, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, and Sen. Manny Pacquiao. (FILE PHOTOS)

MANILA, Philippines — Here are some of the highlights of activities of the six presidential candidates on Week 4 of their campaign.

Leody de Guzman #2

■ Feb. 28 – Attended Kakampi founding congress and fisherfolk forum in Diliman, Quezon City; spoke at online forum of Citizens Alliance for Just Peace; guested on “FOI sa Radio” sponsored by the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

■ March 1 – Forum with Pasig Civil Society Organization, guested on TV5 program “Wag Po”; interviewed online by DLSU-Dasmariñas Journalism Program Council

■ March 2 – Sortie in Malolos, Bulacan; attended Partido Lakas ng Masa assembly at Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium

■ March 3 – Interviewed on Radyo 5; at Vibal Presidential Forum on Education, presented his platforms concerning the curriculum, teachers and public schools

■ March 4 – Recorded interview aired on IBC-13 program “Bet to Serve”; criticized President Duterte’s order adopting nuclear energy program, citing the “lessons” of Chernobyl and Fukushima

■ March 6 – Conducted intraparty meetings.

Key message: “Being neutral in a situation where there are exploiters and exploited is tantamount to siding with the oppressor … Nonalignment is not siding and not being manipulated by imperialist governments. It’s supporting the basic right of countries to make their own decisions with the welfare for their workers and citizens being the main priority. In the aggression [shown by] the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory and the economic sanctions against Russia, [first to be] affected are the workers of both countries while the people of Europe and the entire world are the collateral damage.” (March 2 statement) —Jerome Aning

Isko Moreno Domagoso #3

■ Feb. 27 – Appeared in first presidential debate of the campaign period hosted by CNN Philippines at University of Santo Tomas.

■ Feb. 28 – On Radio Veritas’ Catholic e-forum, vowed to continue President Duterte’s drug war “but no EJKs (extrajudicial killings).”

– Accepted endorsement from transport and labor groups, and from Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity

■ March 1 – Was denied motorcade permit in Caloocan City; camp suspected local politics behind denial as Aksyon Demokratiko backs Rep. Edgar Erice against the incumbent mayor’s son, Along Malapitan.

– Campaigned in Malabon; met with Mayor Antolin Oreta III, other local officials

■ March 2 – In Bataan; courtesy call on Balanga bishop; expressed opposition to the revival of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, saying it was unsafe.

– In Pampanga, visited local leaders led by Gov. Dennis Pineda

■ March 3 – Stumping begins in Cagayan Valley; motorcade, town hall meetings in Quirino, Isabela; in Manila, Aksyon chair Ernest Ramel attacks Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on his past tax case, his taking credit for the Ilocos wind power project, and the questions over his academic credentials

■ March 4 – Continued campaign in Cagayan Valley, including Cagayan province.

Key message: “There’s nothing wrong with copying the good things President Duterte has done. Like other leaders I admire, if they do good things we duplicate and continue … But we won’t copy the bad. If there’s good, we escalate and continue … but don’t worry, no EJKs.” (Feb. 28 interview on Radyo Veritas) —DJ Yap

Ping Lacson #5

■ Feb. 28 – Met with Quezon-Marinduque fishermen and boat operators association at Dalahican Port, Lucena City; tackled importation of galunggong- Town hall meeting at St. Anne College in Lucena City;

– Campaigned in Sariaya, Candelaria and Tiaong, before meeting supporters at Villa Escudero in Tiaong.

■ March 1 – Held dialogue with tricycle drivers and operators at Dagat Cusina Gubat in Candelaria; encouraged them to claim aid, subsidy from government;

– Meeting with barangay chairs, transport sector leaders in Lucena City

■ March 2 – Moved to Camarines Norte for sorties in Daet town; in a dialogue with supporters, called on the Civil Service Commission to ease requirements for fresh college graduates who want to enter public service

– In a forum with farmers at Little Theater in Daet, heard their clamor for local governments to provide farm machinery and other inputs using funds raised through the rice tariffication law

■ March 3 – In Sorsogon City, met local officials led by Gov. Francis Escudero, who is making a comeback bid for the Senate

■ March 4 – Took a break from campaign to attend ongoing Senate inquiry into “e-sabong” abductions

■ March 5 – Visited two micro, small, medium enterprises in Lacson’s home province of Cavite—the Cafe Amadeo cooperative and a local maker of kangkong chips

Key message: “We’re confident that if we’re elected, we’ll do everything for the good of the country. We already know what to do. We’ve been studying it for so many years.” (March 3 speech in Sorsogon City) —Melvin Gascon

Bongbong Marcos #7

■ Feb. 27 – Skipped the CNN Philippines debate and instead campaigned in vote-rich Pangasinan province without his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte

■ Feb. 28 – No public engagement set by campaign team this day

■ March 1 – Attended a convention of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Pasay City; told reporters there was no need to take a stand on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

■ March 2 – No public engagement, but issued statement promising to ‘’revive the glory days of the Bicol Express’’ or the train line between Manila and the Southern Luzon region.

■ March 3 – Held a rally with Duterte in Balayan town in Batangas to woo the 1.89 million voters in the province; Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas endorsed him and Duterte

– Met with local officials at Calatagan Golf Club in Calatagan, Batangas

■ March 4 – Took his campaign to the Bicol Region, bailiwick of one of his rivals, Vice President Leni Robredo; held a rally at the Sorsogon provincial capitol hosted by Gov. Francis “Chiz” Escudero; running mate Duterte again not in this sortie

– Issued a statement urging Russia to “respect Ukraine’s freedom and its citizens’ democratic way of life,” a departure from his earlier position not to take a stand on the conflict gripping Europe

■ March 5 – Continued his campaign in the Bicol Region without Duterte; held a rally in Masbate province

Key message: “I don’t think there is a need to take a stand. We are not involved, except for our nationals.” (March 1 ambush interview with reporters) —Nestor Corrales

Manny Pacquiao #9

■ Feb. 28 – Courtesy calls at Pasig City Hall and Marikina City Hall, then motorcades; said he’d focus on Metro Manila first that week, where he had “weak” ratings

■ March 1 – Courtesy calls, motorcade in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan

– At assembly in Caloocan City, urged Commission on Elections (Comelec) to relax campaign restrictions in areas already under alert level 1

■ March 2 – In Pangasinan, graced opening of Binmaley Evacuation Center

– Courtesy call at Lingayen City Hall, visited wet market with Vice Mayor Judy Vargas

– Courtesy call at San Carlos City Hall; motorcade to Dagupan

■ March 3 – Still in Pangasinan, prayer meeting with 3,000, including pastors and their followers, at Lingayen Capitol Training Center- Courtesy call at Urdaneta City Hall, then meeting with residents at city’s cultural center; dinner with local officials

– Back to Dagupan for another prayer meeting with 200 pastors

■ March 4 – Toured Philippine Carabao Center in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija; vowed review of rice tariffication law

– Met officials in San Jose, then to Guimba where he joined farmers for a “boodle fight”

■ March 5 – Prayer assembly of Grand Harvest Christian Ministries in Los Baños, Laguna

Key message: “It’s better if they (Comelec) don’t [give the debate topics in advance], so that we can gauge the purity of a candidate running for the presidency. You should be ready to face any question, and not ask what the question will be beforehand. (March 2 press briefing in Lingayen) —JULIE M. AURELIO

Leni Robredo #10

■ Feb. 28 – Held Zoom meetings with sectoral groups; no road trip in order to take rest after CNN Philippines debate

– Zoom meet-and-greet with representatives of the IT industry, promised to make the sector more resilient by increasing ease of doing business, allowing more flexible work setups

■ March 1 – Met with Fr. Antonio Labiao, vicar general for pastoral affairs of Novaliches, and other religious leaders at the Cathedral-Shrine and Parish of the Good Shepherd, Quezon City; asked for their help to fight disinformation; (her meetings with religious leaders were later questioned by Lito Banayo, Moreno’s political strategist)

– Guest of honor at Muntinlupa City’s 27th founding anniversary, welcomed by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Rep. Ruffy Biazon and former Sen. Rodolfo Biazon

■ March 2 – Spearheaded event at Plaza Noli in Sampaloc, Manila, marking International Women’s Month; welcomed by former Manila Rep. Sandy Ocampo and incumbent Rep. Atong Asilo

■ March 3 – In Mindoro, met with Church, sectoral leaders, fisherfolk; promised to prioritize agriculture, make loans and other financial mechanisms more accessible

■ March 4 – Grand rally in General Trias, Cavite, where Gov. Jonvic Remulla earlier promised to deliver 800,000 votes for Marcos-Duterte; camp estimated crowd at 47,000.

Key message: “The biggest mistake we can make in this elections is to make decisions based on lies. We can only have a fair and honest elections if it is premised on the truth.” (March 2 speech in Manila)

—KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING

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