Presidential campaign Week 8 recap

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 the presidential campaign as it enters Week 8.

Leody de Guzman #2

■ March 28 – Appeared at online program “ArtivisTAYO” of the arts network Black Canvas, for its episode on global justice

– Issued statement supporting protest actions led by Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino demanding P750 minimum wage in Metro Manila

■ March 29 – Spoke as guest during flag ceremony at Angono municipal hall in Rizal;

– Attended forum hosted by Central Luzon State University Collegian; expressed support for ongoing labor strike at 4M Transport & Sales Corp. in Lucena City

■ March 30 – Joined Green Caucus online forum on Alternative Minerals Management Bill.

■ March 31 – No public event; called on SSS to continue releasing pension of retirees unable to meet deadline for opening PESONet bank accounts

■ April 1 – No public event, but statement opposed return-to-office order on workers in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, saying state of calamity still in effect

■ April 2 – Held consultation with Yupangco workers in Angono

– At weekly Pandesal forum, spoke on foreign policy, postelection geopolitics

– Guested at webinar “Wag Kang Judger” held by his youth supporters from Bulacan State University.

Key Message: “[Workers] are being used as cannon fodder for the supposed economic recovery of the country. The only consideration of the Department of Finance is the declining earnings of real estate developers and lessors of big buildings that used to be occupied by BPO companies and other industries implementing their work-from-home schemes.” (April 1 statement)

—JEROME ANING

Isko Moreno Domagoso #3

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■ March 27 – Led turnover of housing units for Manila’s Tondominium 2 project in Tondo

– Attended Asenso Manileño proclamation rally of Manila mayoral and vice mayoral candidates Honey Lacuna and Yul Servo Nieto, with running mate Willie Ong and Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial candidates

■ March 28 – Toured Misamis Oriental with stops in Gingoog City, Medina and Balingasag towns and a rain-soaked grand rally in Cagayan de Oro; visibly moved to see his supporters staying despite the downpour

■ March 29 – Back at Manila City Hall to meet representative of Elon Musk’s SpaceX company for possible deal bringing Starlink satellite internet technology to the city

– Returned to Mindanao for sorties in Laguindingan, Gitagum, Libertad and El Salvador City

– Vowed to defend Philippine sovereignty in West Philippine Sea and challenged China on board a frigate, “not through a jet ski.”

■ March 30 – Continued Mindanao tour in Iligan City.

■ March 31 – Started two-day tour of Mindoro Island, starting in Oriental Mindoro; motorcades, town hall meetings in Roxas, Bongabon and Bansud, and a grand rally in Calapan

■ April 1 – Headed to Occidental Mindoro.

– In Manila, Aksyon chair Ernesto Ramel and Manila Councilor Princess Abante defended Domagoso against claims of irregularity over city government’s 2020 sale of Divisoria Public Market to a private developer for P1.45 billion

Key message: “We need to fish in our oceans within our sovereign territory, and that includes Panatag Shoal.” (March 29 ambush interview in Gitagum, Misamis Oriental)

—DJ YAP

Ping Lacson #5

■ Mar. 28

– Joined Senate hearing on alleged smuggling of agricultural products, confronted agriculture officials for lack of assistance to areas hit by African swine fever, such as M’lang town in Cotabato where he recently campaigned

■ Mar. 29
– No public event

■ Mar. 30
– In Zamboanga City, met with local offficials led by Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar; held town hall meeting at Southern City Colleges
– Dinner with Zamboanga business community

■ Mar. 31,
– With running mate Sen. Vicente Sotto III, visited Kalawit town, Zamboanga del Norte; met with local leaders led by Mayor Salvador Antojado Jr.; joined here by senatorial candidates Dr. Minguita Padilla and Manny Piñol
– Held town hall meeting at municipal gym, before motoring to Kabasalan town, Zamboanga Sibugay; visited a housing project under the government’s “Balik Probinsya” program
– In Kabansalan, met with local officials led by Mayor Katrina Cainglet-Balladares

■ April 1

– Received support from group composed of retired military officers and former government officials, including former defense secretary Orly Mercado, former information and communications technology undersecretary Eliseo Rio; former Bureau of Internal Revenue chief Kim Henares, and Land Transportation Office head Col. Mariano Santiago, and

■ April 2
– No public event

Key message:

“Whatever happens, our consolation would be that we contributed to correcting the culture of politics to make it issue-based and not politics of entertainment or ‘hakot’.” (March 31 tweet)

—MELVIN GASCON

Bongbong Marcos #7

■ March 27 – Held rallies in General Santos City, Polomolok and Koronadal City in South Cotabato without running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte

■ March 28 – Campaigned in Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat; received support from Sultan Kudarat Gov. Suharto Mangudadatu

– In Cotabato, joined by lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio who campaigned for his wife, Mayor Duterte

■ March 29 – Held a motorcade and campaigned in Zamboanga City, again without Mayor Duterte

■ March 30 – Campaigned in Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro and Davao del Sur; Mayor Duterte made a bold prediction that Marcos would get 70 to 80 percent—or about 8 million to 9.5 million—of the votes in Mindanao

■ March 31 – Visited Marawi City and Bukidnon province

– In Bukidnon, reelectionist Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, a guest candidate in the senatorial slate of Marcos’ rivals, addressed him as “our president”

■ April 1 – Held miting de avance with overseas Filipino workers at a hotel in Pasay City; he and Mayor Duterte promised the immediate operation of the Department of Migrant Workers (a new agency created by a law signed by President Duterte in December 2021) if elected.

■ April 2 – Held a motorcade and pressed flesh in Tarlac City; received endorsement of Mayor Cristy Angeles

– Held a rally at Paniqui Public Auditorium, Tarlac

Key message: “It’s already being done. President Duterte is already finishing it.” (March 31 ambush interview, when asked if he would prioritize Marawi’s rehabilitation if elected president)

—NESTOR CORRALES

Manny Pacquiao #9

■ March 27 – Took part in Christian Coalition Movement’s “A Night of Worship” in Pasig

■ March 28 – Met with local candidates and vendors in Manila, followed by people’s assembly at Baseco

– Again denying rumors he would quit and just support Robredo, said only a “sign or instruction” from God could make him do so

■ March 29 – Motorcade in Tatalon, Galas, and assembly on Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City; met with executives of Elon Musk’s SpaceX

■ March 30 – Started Visayas sorties by meeting with Christian groups in Iloilo; stressed his distaste for using “hakot” (paid) crowds and drone shots to project his popularity, as he would just be fooling himself

■ March 31 – Courtesy call on Iloilo City and provincial officials; warned that a Marcos win would erase all of his family’s legal problems over their ill-gotten wealth and unpaid estate tax, and that another martial law regime is possible under the late dictator’s son; aired opposition to Pasig River Expressway project

■ April 1 – Barnstormed cities of Silay, Talisay and Bacolod in Negros Occidental; joined worship event of local pastors

– Called President Duterte’s decision to stay “neutral” by not endorsing a presidential candidate an indirect “rebuke” of Marcos, who has Mr. Duterte’s daughter as running mate

■ April 2 – Grand rally at RUSI Ball Field, Dumaguete

Key message: “It only means that [Mr. Duterte] wanted to endorse someone but chose to remain quiet to avoid putting his daughter in an awkward situation.’’ (April 1 interview)

—JULIE M. AURELIO

Leni Robredo #10

■ March 28 – Started Northern Samar leg by meeting with Bishop Abarquez, Calbayog Mayor Diego Rivera and Rep. Edgar Sarmiento

– Held dialogue with farmers in Gandara, Eastern Samar; got endorsement from Gov. Edwin Ongchuan and 21 of 24 Northern Samar mayors

■ March 29 – Visited Ormoc and Palo, Leyte, bailiwicks of former first lady Imelda Marcos

– Covenant-signing with Eastern Samar officials led by Gov. Ben Evardone; endorsed by Rep. Fe Abunda, and 20 of 23 mayors in the province

– Running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who was not endorsed by Samar officials, skipped grand rally, saying: “For Leni to increase, I must decrease.”

■ March 30 – In Southern Leyte, campaigned in Maasin and Sogod

– Pangilinan called on supporters to not let Robredo be paired up with another VP bet, in order “to protect” her; “if she wins and there is someone else as VP, who knows if something bad might happen.”

■ March 31 – Campaign moved to Lanao del Norte

■ April 1 – In Marawi City, met with residents who survived 2017 terrorist siege and later became beneficiaries of her housing program

– Bohol grand rally attended by an estimated 80,000

■ April 2 – Show biz supporters went on house-to-house campaign; Angel Locsin asked volunteers to approach at least 10 people a day

Key message: “I will prioritize Samar Island and this is not just a promise made in the wind. I have shown you over the years that even though (the Office of the Vice President) has always had meager funds, we’ve always done our best to help.” (March 29 speech)

—KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING