Imelda campaigns for Bongbong in Tacloban

Ilocos Norte Representative and former First Lady Imelda Marcos campaigned for her son vice presidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in her hometown in Tacloban City on Saturday. She also campaigned for her nephew Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, who is seeking a Senate seat.

TACLOBAN CITY — Ilocos Norte Representative and former first lady Imelda Marcos campaigned for her son vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. here in her hometown on Saturday.

The former first lady said life became more difficult for Filipinos after her husband then president Ferdinand Marcos left because the leaders who succeeded him did not care enough for the country.

“Thirty years kami sa Amerika, umalis kami dito [at nanatili] sa mga estranghero kahit na nanalo kami nung snap election noong 1986, pero ano ang nangyari naghirap ang mga kapatid na Pilipino dahil ang mga sumunod sa Marcos kasi hindi nag-isip para sa kapwa tao, walang puso, kaya nandito ako, ang edad kong 86 na pero ang aking puso nandito pa rin malakas pa rin ang aking pagmamahal sa kapwa lalo na sa bansang Pilipinas,” she said in Waray at the Remedios T. Romualdez Gym with hundreds of barangay captains from Leyte and Biliran in in attendance.

It was the first time that the former first lady campaigned for her son with him around.

The son and namesake of the former dictator is seeking for the second highest position in the land.

“We need to unite for our nation to be great again,” she said.

She also campaigned for her other relatives.  Her nephew Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez is gunning for a Senate seat, while his wife Yedda is seeking to replace his post. Cristina Romualdez is eyeing to become mayor of Tacloban.

The vice presidential candidate Marcos is scheduled to campaign in Eastern Visayas from Saturday to Monday. He will tour the Samar-Leyte areas and cap off with a grand rally in Tacloban on Monday night.

He reiterated his message of unity in his speech.

“Imbes na tayo ay nagkakaisa ay tayo naghahati hati dahil sa pulitika,” he said.

The senator said that it took them a few months since campaign launch to visit Tacloban because they wanted to “save the best for last.”