UNA, Team PNoy Baguio rallies to bring into focus party platforms

MANILA, Philippines–The simultaneous sortie of Team PNoy and the opposition coalition United Nationalist Alliance in Baguio on Sunday will give people the chance to hear which party has a better government platform, UNA’s newly appointed deputy campaign manager said Friday.

“It will be a good chance for the people of Baguio to listen to the platforms of both camps,” Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian said.

Asked if he thinks that tension between UNA and LP could arise, Gatchalian said: “Siguro meron din (Maybe). But I don’t think that will be the main agenda.”

On Sunday, UNA and LP will take its senatorial candidates to the city of pines to court Baguio voters. It will also be the first time that the rival parties will be campaigning at the same city.

Meanwhile, Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco, UNA campaign manager, said the simultaneous sortie would tell which party can draw a bigger crowd.

Asked how he sees the atmosphere on Sunday, Tiangco said: “Normal . . . gagawin nating masaya. Yun ang sa atin, ewan ko sakanila.”

(…we will turn it into a happy event. That’s our plan, we don’t know about their plan.)

On Thursday, Tiangco dared the LP to invite him to its Baguio campaign rally and let him speak on stage after LP spokesman Erin Tañada tagged him as their group’s “biggest campaigner.”

“I am waiting for Erin Tañada’s [instructions] on where he will pick me up on Sunday, hehe,” Tiangco said in a text message.

UNA is set to go around Muntinlupa City in a motorcade later Friday that will be concluded with a program rally at Alabang bus terminal.