BALAYAN, Batangas—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday tried his luck in Batangas, a province dominated by allies of the ruling Liberal Party (LP).
LP swept the provincial board in the 2013 elections, led by party members Gov. Vilma Santos and Vice Gov. Mark Leviste.
In the province’s 34 cities and municipalities, Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) has only a mayor in Lian and a vice mayor in Batangas City. In at least 14 municipalities, both mayors and vice mayors are from LP.
Spokesperson Rico Quicho said it did not matter that Binay had few allies in Batangas, so long as the locals gave him massive support.
In the 2010 elections, Binay won in Batangas over Liberal Party’s bet Mar Roxas in the vice presidential race by around 175,000 votes. Binay got 558,748 votes while Roxas got 383,170.
“Kung sinasabi nga po nila na kapos tayo sa mga pulitikong kakampi, nakita niyo naman po napakaraming mga kababayan natin ang nagtitiwala at nagmamahal kay VP Binay. Kaya nga po ‘yong approval at trust ratings natin ay talagang nakikita naman po natin na talagang matibay at matatag pa rin po,” Quicho said.
Binay visited Barangay Nine in Balayan municipality at noon where he delivered a rousing speech at the plaza before a crowd of elderly and adults.
There was no stage at the covered court, so Binay stood up on two monobloc chairs, drawing laughter from the audience.
In his speech, Binay said he knew the plight of the poor because he also grew up impoverished.
According to Binay, he is also a Batangueño because his father is a native of Bauan.
READ: Binay goes to Batangas, woos father’s home province
“Galing ako sa kahirapan. Laki ako sa tiyo ko, dahil maaga ako nawalan ng magulang. Tayo sa Batangas, sanay na sanay na ginigising ng maaga nagwawalis sa kapaligiran,” Binay said.
He also reiterated that he would continue and improve the conditional cash transfer program, and that he would include another “P” in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program: “pustiso” for CCT beneficiaries aged 60 to 64, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
“Tayo ay mga Batangueño, walang iwanan, magkasama tayo sa hirap at ginhawa,” Binay said.
After his speech, Binay went up his motorcade and threw to the crowd orange candies bearing his name. RC
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