Isko Moreno woos votes in Masbate

Isko Moreno

PLACER, Masbate, Philippines – The presence of Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso on Sunday was enough to stir the hornet’s nest in this island province as hordes of Masbateños dashed towards the Manila city mayor to get a chance to hold his hand and take selfies with him.

Despite the soaring heat brought by the dry weather, thousands of residents enthusiastically greeted and cheered Moreno and Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial bets Dr. Carl Balita, Samira Gutoc, Jopet Sison, and guest candidate John Castriciones once the news went around that they were doing a sortie in this 2nd class municipality.

Moreno thanked the people of Placer for the warm reception they showed to him and the rest of Team Isko. “Maraming, maraming salamat. Kahit mainit ang araw eh naglabasan kayo. Kung ano ang tinindi ng init ng sikat ng araw eh ganun din ang naging mainit na pagsalubong nyo sa amin,” Moreno said.

“Grabe, nakakataba ng puso ang mga tao,” said Moreno, who was happy seeing many people getting excited whenever he wave his hands and smiles at them.

Placer town Mayor Eusebio Dumoran, Jr. thanked the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate for choosing their municipality as one of the areas for their campaign sorties in the Bicol region.

“Mga kababayan, isa itong oportunidad na ipakilala ang isang katulad ko rin na mayor sa isang bayan. Mayor Isko, kami lahat sa rehiyon matagal ng nag-aabang sa balita kung pupunta ka rito. So, kami proud kami na binisita kami dito sa aming bayan namin kasama ng iyong grupo. So, maraming salamat po,” Dumoran said.

As in previous motorcades, thousands of screaming and cheering local residents jostle for position in the crowded streets, all trying to shake or just touch the hands of the 47-year-old presidential bet.

“Isko, Isko, Mahal ka namin!” shouted the people as Team Isko’s motorcade passed through the streets on top of a medium-sized flatbed truck with a makeshift roof carrying him and his party.

Residents carrying a big streamer with the words: “President Domagoso, Isko Moreno. Aksyon!” written on it also caught the attention of the local chief executive.

Isko Moreno

During motorcades, it has been Moreno’s habit to go down from the truck to sign his signature on the campaign shirts and posed for souvenir photos with residents who were all excited to meet him.

There were also instances that Moreno alighted from the vehicle to greet, posed for pictures, and utter some words of comfort and gratitude to the elderly who waited patiently in front of their homes just to see him and show their support for the former basurero who became a councilor, vice mayor, city mayor and now a candidate for the presidency.

Even motorists, commuters, travelers, truck drivers, and riders going in the opposite direction could be seen waving and honking their horns to express their support for Moreno and the rest of Team ‘Isko’.

Warm reception also greeted Moreno as he and his team arrived in the town of Cawayan, with local residents lining up along the streets to meet him and his entourage.

With his sortie falling on a Sunday, which is church day, Moreno and the party also dropped by in front of a local church to greet and briefly have a conversation with the priest who officiated the mass. He also shook hands with some of the churchgoers before going back to their vehicle and resuming their motorcade.

Moreno and the senatorial candidates later attended a town hall meeting inside a packed gym in the municipality of Aroroy.

Team Isko is barnstorming Sorsogon on Monday and Albay on Tuesday. This will be the first time that Moreno and his running mate Dr. Willie Ong and the senatorial bets will be having sorties in Bicol region.

During his Masbate sortie, Moreno assured the people that his administration will pursue a “Life and Livelihood” economic policy that aims to address poverty, hunger, unemployment, inequality, and social injustice through an inclusive and equitable infrastructure development program as spelled out under his 10-point Bilis Kilos Economic Agenda.

To achieve this, his administration will continue the Build, Build Build program of President Rodrigo Duterte, with a focus on building more public housing, more public schools, and more public hospitals across the country to create more jobs and opportunities for our people.

Under Moreno’s Economic Agenda, the government will be a major driver in the creation of better jobs and opportunities by providing various interventions and support to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which comprises the majority of businesses in the country and employs around 63 percent of the total workforce.

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