Binay promises home province: Next president is Ibanag

UNA Presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay during a campaign sortie motorcade from San Miguel, through San Ildefonso and San Rafael in Bulacan.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/LYN RILLON

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday vowed to the residents of his home province Isabela that they would be seeing an Ibanag as the country’s next president.

In his campaign speech sent by Binay’s office, Binay appealed to the 10,000 supporters who attended his rally in Cauayan to vote for him so that Isabela would have a president to be proud of.

“Ni minsan hindi pa nagkaroon ng taga-Isabelang pangulo. Pero ang importante, hindi ninyo naman ako ikahihiya kapag ako ay ibinoto ninyo,” Binay said.

READ: Binay laughs at Roxas’ ‘Solid North’ claim

(We haven’t had a president from Isabela. But what’s important is you wouldn’t be ashamed of me if you vote for me.)

Binay traces his roots to Isabela through his mother Lourdes Cabauatan, who was born in Cabagan, Isabela. Binay had always claimed to be an Ibanag.

Binay also vowed to maintain good ties with Isabela Governor Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, a member of the Liberal Party who had endorsed Binay’s political nemesis Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

“Basta’t kami ay magkaibigan. Hindi ang pulitika ang sisira sa pagkakaibigan namin ni Gov. Dy. Saka tingnan na lang natin sa bandang huli kung ano ang resulta dito sa Isabela,” Binay said.

(We are friends. Politics won’t ruin the friendship between Gov. Dy and me. Let us just wait for the results [of elections] here in Isabela.)

Binay vowed to make Isabela more accessible by extending the North Luzon Expressway and upgrading the facilities of the Cauayan airport.

“Ako sa simula’t simula, lagi kong sinasabi, kami ay dapat magkaisa dahil sa nakakalimutan na yung aming probinsya. Nakakalimutan na yung aming lahi,” Binay said.

READ: Binay promotes Ibanag heritage

(From the start, I’ve been saying that we should unite because our province has been forgotten. Our heritage has been forgotten.)

Dy also hosted lunch for Binay with 18 mayors, other local officials, provincial board members, heads of sectoral groups, the Councilors’ League and Liga ng mga Barangay. RAM

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