An Ilocano woman hugs presidential bet Senator Grace Poe during her campaign sortie in Ilocos Norte. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.NET
Batac, Ilocos Norte—It was a moment of chaos for market vendors here when presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe came shook their hands and gave some of them a hug.
“Ang cute, cute n’ya (She is so cute)!” a female vendor exclaimed when Poe arrived at the Batac public market around 8:00 a.m.
Most of the market vendors had to leave their stalls just to get near the senator, shake her hands, hug her or take a selfie with her.
READ: Poe arrives in Ilocos Norte for campaign activities
“Parang naiiyak na ako sa kaligayahan (I feel like I want to cry out of happiness),” said an old woman, who claimed to be from Pangasinan.
The woman refused to categorically say whom she would vote for president in May but indicates that it would be Poe.
“Hindi ko alam. Ngayon alam ko na (Before, I did not know. Now, I do),” she said.
“Basta ang lakas ng kutob ko… po! (Poe) (My instinct is telling me this),” she said in jest.
Aside from waving her hands to hugging the vendors, Poe also sampled some of Ilocos’ most popular street food: empanada and carioca.
Senator Grace Poe samples some of Ilocos’ most popular delicacies. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.NET
One of her senatorial bets, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, later joined her at the market that made more female vendors giggle.
Using a megaphone, Poe and Moreno thanked the vendors before leaving the market.
“Ako’y nagpapasalamat sa inyong mainit na pagtanggap lalong-lalo na noong ako’y bata pa lang, lagi kaming nagbabakasyon ng aking tatay noong ginagawa n’ya ang pelikulang ‘Panday…’” Poe said, referring to her late father, action king Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ).
(I want to thank you for your very warm welcome, especially because when I was still young, my dad and I would always vacation here when he was still filming “Panday.”)
READ: Grace Poe reprises FPJ: ‘Puno na ang salop’
“Maraming salamat muli. Napakasarap ng pagkain dito (Thank you again! The food here is delicious)…” she added.
Senator Grace Poe pays a visit to Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.NET
After leaving the market, Poe and Moreno held a motorcade and made a short stop at Batac City hall where they were welcomed by Governor Imee Marcos and Batac Mayor Jeffrey Nalupta. IDL
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