Roxas reclaims ‘Mr. Palengke’ title in Batangas

Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Mar Roxas INQUIRER/Raffy Lerma

BATANGAS CITY—For a solid hour, while weaving between the narrow aisles of a public market here, a sprightly Mar Roxas shook off his elitist image and gamely posed for selfies with vendors and fish hands, prompting some market-goers to chant: “Mr. Palengke! Mr. Palengke!”

It felt like vindication for the Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer who had laid claim to the grassroots moniker in his earlier campaigns for public office only to find arch rival, Vice President Jejomar Binay, disputing his claim on Saturday.

Binay said “Mr. Palengke” was more appropriate in his case, as he used to work in public markets as a young boy.  The Vice President made the claim during his visit to Mega Q-Mart, a popular public market near the Roxas family-owned Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City.

Turning the tables on the UNA candidate, Roxas on Wednesday visited the Julian Pastor Memorial Market in Barangay Cuta in Batangas, the home province of Binay’s father.

Full campaign mode

As he made the rounds of market stalls and made small talk, Roxas turned on the charm that made him top the senatorial election in 2004 as “Mr. Palengke.”   It apparently still worked among a few would-be supporters.

“I believe him. What he told us was right,” fish vendor Nilda Valenzuela told the Inquirer. “If we want to change our society, we should start with ourselves.”

In full campaign mode, the presidential candidate asked one woman selling bananas and camotes on a stick whether she was earning enough.  Told that her earnings were just enough for her family’s daily needs, a smiling Roxas said, “OK, I’ll buy all of these.”

He then grabbed a stick of camote-cue and munched on the caramelized sweet potato, while offering the other sticks of sweetened banana to the people milling around him, most of them hoisting phone cameras and tablets to record the moment.

Roxas also gamely posed for selfies with fish vendors, students, meat stall owners, rice dealers and just about anyone who asked to have a picture with him.

Free medical aid

In a brief conversation with Genoveva Anonuevo, a 67-year-old halo-halo vendor, Roxas asked if she was suffering from any age-related illnesses and if she was able to get free medical assistance from the government through Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

He also asked if she was a beneficiary of the government’s conditional cash transfer program, officially known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

“With PhilHealth, you don’t need to pay anything. Are you aware of that?” Roxas asked.

“Yes,” the old woman said.  “But what I need is financial assistance for one of my grandchildren.”

Anonuevo said she wanted to have a glimpse of Roxas who “looks so handsome when I see him on TV. ”  She added:  “I didn’t know he was that tall. He was also warm and sincere.”

Asked if she would vote for Roxas, Anonuevo said: “Of course. I voted for him in the past.  Even my friends, who are also senior citizens, will vote for him.”

Pressed to explain her vote, she said: “I just like him. I also want him to continue the 4Ps which has benefited many of my fellow Batangueños.”

Women’s groups

But a few vendors, while saying they were pleased with Roxas, admitted that they would vote for his rivals—Sen. Grace Poe or Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte instead.

Asked why, butcher Mike Aplasca said: “Because FPJ is my idol.”   FPJ, or action superstar Fernando Poe Jr., was Poe’s adoptive father.

Speaking before a gathering of women’s groups at the Batangas City Sports Complex, Roxas said his interest in promoting public markets started when he first met Batangas Mayor Eddie Dimacuha during his first term as Capiz congressman in the 1990s.

“It was your mayor who showed me how vital public markets are (in our economy),” he told the packed coliseum before he and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, hied off to visit an impoverished fishing community in Barangay Sta. Clara.

Fishermen and members of Bantay Dagat thanked Roxas for the wooden fishing boats given them through the government’s grassroots-level bottom up budgeting (BUB).

“If we’re lucky (enough) to get elected, I assure all of you that we will expand the BUB to benefit more fisherfolk and empower communities like yours,” Roxas said to loud cheers from the crowd.