The presidential campaign trail: Final week

MANILA, Philippines — Following are some of the highlights of the final week of the presidential campaign of some of the candidates.

Leody de Guzman #2

■ May 1 – Labor Day rally of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) in Manila

■ May 2 – Interviewed on Politiskoop

■ May 3 – With running mate Walden Bello, attended Commission on Elections (Comelec) KBP PiliPinas Forum 2022; online forum of University of the Philippines Baguio

– Issued statement condemning arrest of BMP members in Ormoc City for holding rally without permit;

– In Barangay Inarawan, Antipolo City, met with community leaders threatened by “land-grabbing”

– Earned endorsement from US political activist, social critic, linguist and academic Noam Chomsky

■ May 4 – Held “miting de avance” at Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City

– Denounced killing of urban poor community organizer Renato Luis in Malabon City

■ May 5 – Interviewed by Al Jazeera

■ May 6 – Presser of Power for People Coalition; endorsed by former UN special rapporteur on Palestinian human rights Richard Falk

■ May 7 – Last preelection presser at Kamuning Bakery Cafe, Quezon City

Key message: “If there won’t be a change in our political system and we continue to be entertained, be amused, applaud and cheer the tricks of traditional and elitist politicians, of candidates supported by big businessmen, there will be no change in our lives. We will just be happy after the election because our candidate won … and jeer at our neighbors whose candidates lost. But all of us—the masses, the poor, the workers, the farmers, the drivers and conductors, the mothers—will be let down in the next years by the one we brought to victory.’’ (May 4 miting de avance speech)

—JEROME ANING

Isko Moreno Domagoso #3

■ May 1 – Campaign events in Cavite province

■ May 2 – Back in City of Manila; inspected new Ospital ng Maynila building

– Skipped motorcade in Quezon City because of “important meeting,” according to staff

■ May 3 – Skipped events in Quezon province for activities in Manila, including the inspection of an elementary school

– “Some of you here know what I’m doing. We’re doing something, to strengthen and confirm certain commitments,” he told reporters when asked why he canceled his events

■ May 4 – Returned to Cebu province for sorties, including in Mambaling town where he visited fire victims to whom he extended assistance in November 2021

■ May 5 – Stumped in Southern Leyte and Leyte provinces, including a grand rally in Tacloban City

■ May 6 – Activities in Manila, including a report to residents about the status of the city government’s pandemic response and inaugural lighting of the new Zaragosa Center Island Garden

■ May 7 – Held “miting de avance” in his native district of Tondo, Manila

Key message: “I’ll speak my mind and my heart. No sugarcoating. Some people may understand and some people may not understand it immediately. This is me, and this is the kind of presidency I offer to everyone.” (May 3 ambush interview in Manila)

—DJ YAP

Ping Lacson #5

■ May 2 – No public event scheduled

■ May 3 – With running mate Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and senatorial candidate Manny Piñol, campaigned in Muntinlupa City, then Nasugbu, Batangas province

■ May 4 – Sorties in Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental; met with Mayor Felipe Remollo of Dumaguete, Evelio Leonardia of Bacolod and Mercedes Teves-Goñi of Bais

– In Dumaguete, visited employees of Lee Plaza, which is owned by avid supporter

■ May 5 – Campaigned in Maguindanao, held a town hall meeting with farmers, tribal leaders, seniors in Ampatuan town

– In Cagayan De Oro, held another town hall meeting with supporters and sectoral representatives

■ May 6 – “Miting de avance” at Verdant Square in Carmona, Cavite province; called on estimated 50,000 attendees to emulate Caviteño forefathers by launching “silent revolution” through the ballot

■ May 7 – Final campaign caravan covered Rizal, Laguna, Batangas and Cavite

Key message: “It is satisfying but also sad to see how our voters easily shifted support to us even after a simple interaction with them, and did not bother with issues anymore. It only shows that the voters’ [level of] contentment has become so shallow. This is why we’re proud of ourselves for having started this crusade … If it goes somewhere, something positive will come out of it, we’re happy with that. If it goes back to silly entertainment, this country is going to the dogs.” (May 7 presser in Tagaytay)

—MELVIN GASCON

Bongbong Marcos #7

■ May 1 – Met with leaders and members of Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, the country’s largest labor group which endorsed the Marcos-Duterte tandem as early as February

■ May 2 – No public engagement scheduled

– Latest Pulse Asia survey shows him still leading at 56 percent, similar to what he got in March and enjoying a double-digit lead over closest rival Robredo

■ May 3 – Held the first of three miting de avance grand rallies to close the 90-day campaign period, starting in Guimbal, Iloilo City, gathering supporters in a 4-hectare football field;

– Met with fisherfolk and agriculture leaders in the province

■ May 4 – No public engagement set

■ May 5 – Held Mindanao leg of miting de avance in Tagum City, Davao del Norte

■ May 6 – No public engagement that day, but he scored points with President Duterte’s sudden change of tune. As opposed to his remarks last November calling Marcos Jr. a “weak leader” and “spoiled child,” Mr. Duterte now praised the former senator, whose family has been known for extravagance, for living a “simple” life, and also falsely claimed that the government had found no ill-gotten wealth linked to his family.

■ May 7 – Held Luzon leg of miting de avance in front of Solaire in Parañaque City

Key message: “Your vote for the Marcos-Duterte tandem, as well as the UniTeam senators, is your and our countrymen’s voice that you are voting for our future.” (May 5 miting de avance speech in Tagum City)

—NESTOR CORRALES

Manny Pacquiao #9

■ May 2 – Returned to his birthplace in Kibawe, Bukidnon, then off to Maramag town for rally and courtesy calls on local officials

– Reiterated call to release detained Sen. Leila De Lima following retraction of ex-Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos, a key government witness in her drug cases

– Thanked supporters for improved ranking (third, with 7 percent) in latest Pulse Asia survey

■ May 3 – Led groundbreaking rites for proposed Pacman Villages in Iligan City and Marawi City; rally in Marawi City

■ May 4 – Held people’s assemblies in Talisay, Carcar and Toledo cities in Cebu

– Campaign manager, Salvador Zamora, said retired boxing champ could be the “dark horse” in the race and still capable of pulling off an upset

■ May 5 – Visited Asturias, Balamban, San Remigio, Tabogon, Danao City and Bogo City in Cebu for people’s assemblies; joined by wife Jinkee and mother Dionisia

■ May 6 – Held first “miting de avance,” in Cebu City

– Said his campaign—under Promdi party—won’t be undermined by the Comelec resolution that recognized the rival Cusi wing as the legitimate faction of the ruling party PDP-Laban

■ May 7 – Held second miting de avance in General Santos City, his hometown

Key message: “It’s amazing … We have a pandemic. It’s amazing that under one administration, our debt ballooned to P12 trillion from P6 million [at the end of the previous administration]. [But] why are still lagging behind in our COVID-19 response?” (May 5 interview in Cebu)

—JULIE M. AURELIO

Leni Robredo #10

■ May 1 – Met with various labor groups at Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, where she promised increases in wages and benefits, as well as security of tenure

– Formally endorsed and hand raised by Kilusang Mayo Uno chair Elmer Labog

– Held her second grand rally in Cavite, drawing an estimated 120,000 people, more than in the first rally

■ May 2 – Visited Abra, Kalinga and Benguet for the first time in the campaign, completing her tour of all the 17 regions

– Endorsed by Baguio’s “Big Three” universities: St. Louis University, University of Baguio and University of the Cordilleras

■ May 3 – Campaigned in Aklan, Antique and Iloilo provinces, which are considered among her strongholds

■ May 4 – Visited Zamboanga del Norte and Lanao del Norte, where one of the local mayors pledged support

■ May 6 – Visited Misamis Occidental, and then Agusan del Sur where Gov. Santiago Cane Jr. vowed to deliver her another victory

■ May 7 – Went back to Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and Albay—her Southern Luzon bailiwicks, where Bicolanos gave her a “send-off” two days before the elections

– Grand rally in home turf Naga City attended by an estimated 306,000 “kakampinks”

■ May 8 – Last campaign motorcade, held in Tarlac

– “Miting de avance” on Ayala Avenue, Makati City

Key message: “Trust in fate. I was not the only one who worked hard, you did, too. I was not the only one who gave it my all, you did, too. As long as we did not resort to evil tactics … we can leave it up to God.” (Addressing her kakampinks experiencing election anxiety)

—KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING

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