Huge crowd greets Robredo in Quezon sortie; more endorsements from civil society groups
Vice President Leni Robredo speaks to her supporters during the Quezonduan: Grand People’s Rally in Lucena City, Quezon. (VP Leni Media Bureau)
LUCENA CITY, Quezon — Vice President Leni Robredo’s return to Quezon province earned her more endorsements from various civil society groups, while a huge crowd attended her grand rally in Lucena City on Thursday.
At the provincial capital, some 80,000 supporters waited and cheered Robredo during the “Quezonduan” grand rally at the open grounds near the city hall .
During the event, supporters raised their glasses to Robredo in the course of the Tagayan, a ritual sealing the “Quezonduan” between the presidential candidate and the people of Quezon. They also gave her several artworks and other tokens.
An aerial shot of the Quezonduan grand rally gives a glimpse of some 80,000 attendees who flocked to the Leni-Kiko grand rally in Lucena City. Image from Gabriel Pabico Lalu / INQUIRER.net
Robredo in an earlier ambush interview explained that it is very important to tour Calabarzon and Quezon in particular as aside from being a vote-rich area, it is also a huge province geographically which means that several towns cannot be visited at once.
“Mahalaga siya kasi mahirap siyang ikutan kasi sobrang laki. Ito lang Quezon, parang from the northernmost part to the southernmost part, sobrang layo kaya talagang kailangan natin siyang i-break. Pero masaya tayo na nakabalik tayo dito,” Robredo said.
“In the next three days– in the next four days, IV-A tayo, Calabarzon tayo. Ngayon, nandito tayo sa Quezon, bukas sa Laguna, sunod sa Batangas, tapos sa Sunday ay sa Cavite tayo. Sobrang laki ng Quezon, sobrang laki din ng botante kaya napakahalaga niya,” she added.
Before visiting Lucena, Robredo went to Gumaca and Guinayangan, where she also got a strong welcome from people in the area.
This is the second time that Robredo went to Quezon province, after visiting the towns of Real, Infanta, and General Nakar last April 18.
Sins of the father
During her visit to Catanauan town early Thursday, Robredo’s hands were raised by town Mayor Ramon Orfanel, who urged Filipinos to refrain from falling prey to claims that the sins of the father could not be blamed on the son.
According to Orfanel, the sins are forgiven only if the son asks for forgiveness — referring to Robredo’s rival, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., whose father and namesake had been blamed for human rights abuses in the country during the martial law era.
“Huwag po kayong maniniwala doon sa Facebook account na nagsasabi na ang kasalanan ng ama ay hindi kasalanan ng anak. ‘Yon po ay puwede kung ‘yong anak po ay nagsisisi o nagtitika sa ginawa ng kanyang mga magulang,” Orfanel said in her introduction of Robredo.
“Kaya mga kasama, ipinakikilala ko po sa inyo ang ika labimpitong pangulo ng Pilipinas, kagalang-galang Leni Robredo,” he added.
Gumaca priests
Fisherfolk and farmer representatives also raised the hand of Robredo to back her presidential candidacy, while priests from the parish of Gumaca went all the way to Catanauan to express their support of her.
“Ang simbahan po ng Dioceses ng Gumaca, sa pangunguna ng kaparian po, individual — individual ano namin, na disposition po matapos ang aming pagkikilatis, prayer through discernment– kami pong individual na mga pari ng Gumaca ay sumusuporta sa kandidatura po ni VP Leni, ang mga kaparian po,” a priest from Gumaca said.
“And then, ang atin ding mga lay leaders ng Diocese, meron din po silang individual na ginawang manipesto supporting VP Leni. Best wishes po Ma’am,” he added.
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