Binay, Ejercito draw enthusiastic response in Cavite campaign

DASMARINAS CITY, Philippines — Senatorial candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) coalition kicked off their campaign here on Thursday, in an attempt to win over the nation’s second vote-rich province.

Present in Paliparan 3 village were Nancy Binay, Senator Gregorio Honasan, Zambales Representative Milagros Magsaysay, Mmargarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, and former senators Ernesto Maceda and Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Magsaysay said that coming second to Cebu in having the most number of voters, Cavite was very significant to UNA.

And despite the coalition’s stand not to get involved in local politics, Magsaysay said that in Cavite she was sure that they could transcend political parties.

She said that they expected support from Cavite officials “not based on partylines but (based on) friendship.”

The crowd went wild as Binay entered the covered court at past 2 p.m.

But the crowd’s reaction to her arrival was unparalleled when her campaign team flung free t-shirts to the audience–eliciting shrieks from even the old women who stood to catch the freebies.

The crowd’s reaction to Cojuangco’s freebies, bundles of “walis tingting” for name recall, was less frantic but old women and wives were seen slowly making their way near the stage to get the cleaning tools.

The response peaked once more when more free t-shirts were thrown by the team of Cagayan Representative Jack Enrile who was however a no-show.

San Juan Representative Joseph Victor Ejercito was also not present but his introduction as son of former president Joseph Estrada–and also free t-shirts–were met with frenzied response.