Isko Moreno hits ‘motor-paid’ rallies, campaigning in churches; prefers to directly reach out to people

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno meets supporters in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental

MANILA, Philippines – Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Thursday defended his unorthodox “retail” style of campaigning in town halls and out-of-the-way places, saying he’d rather go directly to the silent majority to explain his platform of governance and programs rather than engage in large, staged rallies.

“Kasi ayoko ng ‘motor-paid.’ Magastos ang ‘motor-paid. Di ba, I mean, bakit ko naman babaliwin ang sarili ko ng 40,000 na tao pero binayaran ko naman sila ng tig-lilimang daan just to ra-ra,” Moreno said in an interview with Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar aired over state-run PTV.

Reaching out

“So, I will keep going to reach as many kilometers as possible, to reach as many people as possible. I’ll do my best in my own little way, with the help of the team, with the help of the volunteers to reach as many people as possible. I’ll try to make myself available, as much as possible, para unti-unti akong maunawaan,” Moreno pointed out..

The 47-year-old presidential candidate said that while his preferred mode of campaigning might be tedious, he honestly believes that the majority of the Filipino people comprising the so-called “silent majority” will be the game changer in his quest to become the next president of the country, as what happened during the 2016 campaign when President Rodrigo Duterte seemingly came out of nowhere to win by a big margin.

Unfazed by survey results

Moreno said this is also the same reason why he remains unfazed with survey results showing him lagging behind the frontrunners.

“I do believe in the silent majority. So ang nangyayari, yung mga tao ngayon, ayoko na lang magsalita. But what we’re seeing in the streets with people is quite different from what we’re seeing in the surveys,” said Moreno.

Since the official campaign period started last February 8, Moreno and Team Isko was mobbed by tens of thousands of people who came out of their homes and places of work to cheer and express their full support for “Yorme.”

‘Silent majority’

Everywhere Moreno proceeded, thousands of screaming and cheering supporters warmly welcome him with open arms as they jostled for position in the crowded streets, all trying to shake or just touch the hands of the former scavenger who was elected councilor, vice mayor, mayor and now presidential candidate.

“So, yung taong-bayan ang nagbibigay sa akin ng lakas ng loob na umikot nang umikot. But I would like to remind you, Mr. Secretary, December of 2015, 4 percent lang si President Duterte, and the election is 2016 of May. President Duterte won,” he said.

“Ibig kong sabihin, marami lang tahimik. Ayaw na lang ng gulo. They keep it to themselves. I am hoping that the silent majority will prevail, may awa ang Diyos,” said Moreno.

Church issues

And speaking of God, Moreno chided candidates who used the church pulpit for political activities.

Recently, several images surfaced showing Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan conversing with religious leaders at the Cathedral-Shrine and Parish of the Good Shepherd in Fairview, Quezon City with their campaign tarpaulins highly visible in the background.

Robredo and her team was also earlier hit for campaigning in front of the San Pablo Cathedral in Laguna after attending a supposedly “prayers from the community” inside the church.

“I got offended. Ako Katoliko. Ang simbahan ay pag-aari ng mga miyembro ng Iglesia Katolika, tayong mga Katoliko. I don’t mind Mr. Secretary, if you’re a priest or leader of the sect endorsing one candidate. Good for you. But when you conduct political rally in the house of God, sa loob ng simabahan, I get offended. I don’t like it,” Moreno said.

While he respects the views and even endorsements of priests and other religious leaders on candidates, Moreno said it is distasteful and unethical to conduct political activities in church premises.

“Akala ko ba kayo ang mga moralista. Akala ko ba mas magaling kayo sa amin, mas matalino kayo sa amin. Kaming mga lumaki sa squatter wala kaming mga modo. But what you’re doing is different from what you’re saying. So sa akin, maling-mali yon. Deny it or not, it happened. Not once, but twice. Mas malala lang yung pangalawa kasi talagang, with all the force,” explained Moreno.

Direct appeal

In the meantime, Moreno said he, his running mate Dr. Willie Ong and senatorial bets Dr. Carl Balita, Samira Gutoc, Jopet Sison and guest candidate John Castriciones will continue reaching as many people as he can in as many places possible to present himself and appeal directly to the silent majority.

Negros sortie

Thursday evening, Moreno accompanied by senatorial bets Sison and Castriciones wrapped up their two-day sortie of Negros Island which was a combination of town hall meetings attended by thousands of Negrenses and motorcades that saw Ilonggos going out of their homes to see the Manila mayor in the flesh.

Wednesday was hectic for Team Isko who were seen touring the cities of Bacolod and Victorias visiting churches, holding motorcades, town hall meetings, and attending meet and greet sessions with political and volunteer group leaders and representatives.

Upon his arrival at the Bacolod City Hall, hundreds of people who waited outside despite the hot weather burst into cheers as the good-looking Moreno arrived to greet him and his team. Shortly thereafter, Moreno then boarded a medium-sized flatbed truck with a make-shift roof that took him and his team around the city through a motorcade.

Moreno later attended a town hall meeting at the covered court of Barangay 9 in Kabankalan City before proceeding to the municipality of Hino-baan where he paid a courtesy call to Mayor Ernesto Estrao.

“Maraming, maraming salamat sa ating mga kababayang Ilonggo parang homecoming ko to dahil sa napakainit nilang pagtanggap no na alam nyo naman na ang tatay ko is from San Jose, Antique na isang Ilonggo rin so parang homecoming ito sa akin at syempre masaya ako na nasama natin ang grupo si John Castriciones at tsaka si Jopet Sison, at yung isang grupo natin nasa Bohol, overwhelming din yung suporta na nakuha ng grupo doon, kasama si Doc Willie at Carl Balita,” Moreno said before a cheering crowd.

“So, again as we have been doing, dederecho tayo sa tao, tayo ang pupunta sa tao, pupunta tayo, kakamayan natin sila, susuyuin natin sila, palalambutin natin ang bulalo, and I’m hoping and I’m really happy, at the same time the entire Negros na magsuporta sa atin kasi ako lang naman ang kandidatong Ilonggo eh, wala namang iba eh. So, may awa ang Diyos, sa tulong ng Diyos at sa tulong ng mga kababayan nating Ilonggo eh maaari tayong magtagumpay,” Moreno said.

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