Robredo back in Mindanao, to woo voters near Duterte bailiwick

Vice President Leni Robredo visits the Davao del Sur provincial capitol on Thursday, March 24 on her way to Kalinaw Dabaw, the Davao Region People’s Rally organized by her local supporters. The presidential candidate was welcomed by capitol employees, Davao del Sur Governor Marc Douglas Cagas IV, provincial officials, and local government officials of various towns of the province. (VP Leni Media Bureau)

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo takes her presidential campaign back to Mindanao, this time in areas near the bailiwick of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Robredo is scheduled to visit towns in Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte, particularly Digos City on Thursday morning which is only around one hour away from Davao City.

She is expected to meet with Davao del Sur Governor Marc Douglas Cagas IV, before holding the Davao Region People’s Rally at the Davao del Sur Coliseum.

After lunch, Robredo will proceed to Davao del Norte’s provincial capitol in Tagum City, another area that is a just a few hours away from Davao City.  She is expected to meet with local officials in the area.

This is the fourth time that Robredo has visited Mindanao since the start of the official campaign period last February 7.  Just the week prior, Robredo toured Central Mindanao and Muslim populated towns — from General Santos City, to Tacurong, Kidapawan, Cotabato City, then Zamboanga City and Basilan province, before making stops at Sindangan and Pagadian City.

However, this is the first time in the campaign period that she went near Davao City, known as the hometown of the President and his daughter Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is running for vice president in tandem with former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.

According to the latest voter preference surveys, Robredo is not only a far second to Marcos, but is also lagging behind in Mindanao. According to Pulse Asia’s survey from February 18 to 23, in terms of voter preference, Marcos got 60 percent.

Robredo on the other hand only managed to get 15 percent of the votes if the elections were to be held during the survey period.

In Mindanao, Pulse Asia’s survey showed Robredo losing to Marcos. The son of the late president Ferdinand Marcos got 68 percent of the votes while the Vice President was selected by 5 percent of the respondents.

READ: Marcos leads Pulse Asia presidential survey

READ: Marcos Jr. leads latest Pulse Asia survey for presidential race

However, Robredo’s ally former senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed that the Vice President is fast closing the gap with a massive ground movement now supporting her.

READ: Internal survey shows opponent leading, but Robredo catching up — Trillanes

During the 2016 national elections, Robredo lost in the Davao Region, placing third behind Alan Peter Cayetano and Bongbong Marcos.  Robredo got 233,920, while Cayetano and Marcos received 1.074 million  and 467,186 votes, respectively.

/MUF