Bacolod in Negros Occidental draws biggest crowd ever for Robredo

FILE PHOTO: Vice President Leni Robredo at the grand rally held at Plaza Quezon in Naga City on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. Photo by VPLeni Media Bureau

MANILA, Philippines — If supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan are competing for drawing the biggest crowds in rallies, then Bacolod City, Negros Occidental may be the current title holder.

According to organizers of the campaign rally, 70,000 participants are already present in the star-studded sortie as of 7 p.m. of Friday.

Drone shot of the Bacolod grand rally. Photo from the VP Leni Media Bureau

If numbers from Robredo volunteers are to be believed, this is way bigger than the rally at the General Trias, Cavite rally held on March 4, which attracted 47,000 supporters.

Among the artists and actors who are present during the rally are renowned actors and directors Joel Torre and Ronnie Lazaro, actor and television host Edu Manzano, actresses Agot Isidro and Nikki Valdez, and comedian Ogie Diaz.

Megastar Sharon Cuneta, wife of Pangilinan, was also present to ask the crowd to vote for the tandem.

Singers Kyla and Kuh Ledesma also performed for the tandem, along with Pangilinan’s nephew Gab Valenciano.  Local bands Rivermaya and Mayonnaise, which also performed in past sorties, are also expected to play songs for the crowd.

Bacolod is Robredo and Pangilinan’s last stop after touring Negros Occidental on Friday.  Prior to the grand rally, the tandem also visited San Carlos town, before heading to Sagay City and Kabankalan City where huge crowds also welcomed the candidates.

Robredo also stopped by a community learning hub in Himamaylan, a project that her Office of the Vice President initiated during the height of the pandemic.  She and her team then went to Binalbagan, Hinigaran, and then La Carlota.

Earlier, controversial personality and former Commission on Election (Comelec) official Rowena Guanzon also visited Robredo’s rally in Sagay, reminding the crowd to refrain from voting thieves and tax evaders.

READ: Ex-poll exec Guanzon: Let’s not vote for thieves, tax evaders  

JPV