Week 12 on presidential campaign trail

SIX PRESIDENTIAL BETS (left to right, starting on top): Vice President Leni Robredo, former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., labor leader Leody de Guzman, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, and Sen. Manny Pacquiao. (FILE PHOTOS)

MANILA, Philippines — Following are some of the highlights of the presidential candidates’ activities in Week 12 of the campaign trail.

Leody de Guzman #2

■ April 24 – Met with residents facing “land grabbing” in San Roque, Antipolo City

■ April 25 – Interviewed in Tondo for event held by Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines; joined urban poor assembly

April 26 – In Pasig City, paid courtesy call on Mayor Vico Sotto; presided over party assembly at Pasig Mega Market

■ April 27 – Joined filing of complaint against Energy Regulatory Commission over high electricity prices in Mindanao

■ April 28 – In Leyte, met with fisherfolk in Tabango town and sugarcane plantation workers in Ormoc; attended labor forum in Kananga town; online forum of Cifal Philippines-UP

■ April 29 – Online program with youth supporters from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

■ April 30 – Pre-Labor Day presser in Quezon City

Key message: “Wage workers in the country number 26.3 million out of the total 41.5 million employed people. Their combined diligence and industry, talent and intelligence, skills and abilities make the local economy go round. But despite their contributions to progress, the promised prosperity under the ‘trickle-down economics’ has not reached them.” (April 30 statement)

—JEROME ANING

Isko Moreno Domagoso #3

■ April 24 – With the Commission on Elections (Comelec) debate canceled, flew to Carcar, Cebu province, for campaign activities, including concert rally; organizers claimed crowd of 65,000

■ April 25 – Barnstormed Panay Island, starting in Carles town, then Pototan, both in Iloilo; next in San Jose Buenavista, Antique.

■ April 26 – Continued Visayas tour with events in Aklan, with courtesy call on Gov. Florencio Miraflores; then off to Capiz

■ April 27 – Events on Guimaras Island, including courtesy call on Gov. Samuel Gumarin; rally in La Paz Plaza, Iloilo City.

■ April 28 – Campaigned in Bacolod City

– Played down graft complaint filed against him and five other Manila officials over sale of Divisoria Public Market, calling it a typical move by traditional politicians

– Gained points after several groups in Quezon City announced “Biggest Switch to Isko,” including some once allied with Marcos Jr.

■ April 29 – Back in Manila

■ April 30 – Sortie in Pangasinan province

Key message: “As long as you don’t give up, I will never ever give up on you. I will compete until the end.” (April 27 rally in Iloilo City)

—DJ YAP

Ping Lacson #5

■ April 25 – Barnstormed Tarlac and Pangasinan; met with Bishop Enrique Macaraeg; held a town hall meeting at Tarlac State University

– In Urdaneta City, meeting with farmers, fishermen, small businessmen

■ April 26 – In Abra, met with former Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin; town hall meeting at the Abra Valley Hotel

■ April 27 – In Ormoc City; met with Mayor Richard Gomez before town hall meeting

■ April 28 – Met with Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta III; off to San Jose Del Monte City for courtesy visit to Mayor Arthur Robes and Rep. Florida Robes

■ April 29 – In Catanduanes, courtesy calls on Gov. Joseph Cua and Virac Mayor Sinforoso Sarmiento Jr.

– Next was Naga City, where he met with urban poor, vendors, drivers; town hall meeting in Legazpi City

■ April 30 – In Masbate, met with Mayor Rowena Tuason and Bishop Jose Bantolo; met with members of the Philippine National Police Retirees’ Association; presser in Calbayog

Key message: “I asked the people of Samar: why do we keep on voting for those who we already know to be corrupt? That’s the problem, what we refer to as the ‘culture of revenge, of payback.’” (April 30 interview in Calbayog City)

—MELVIN GASCON

Bongbong Marcos #7

■ April 24 – Rally at Arca South grounds in Taguig with running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte

■ April 25 – No public events scheduled

■ April 26 – Campaigned in Cagayan De Oro (no support from Mayor Oscar Moreno, a staunch Robredo supporter)- Held his first ever press conference since start of the campaign period; some journalists covering him were not invited

– Said in taped CNN Philippines interview that he would not appoint a spokesperson if elected president and would regularly face the media

■ April 27 – No public event

■ April 28 – Met with the governors of Laguna, Cavite, Antique, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Norte and Southern Leyte at campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong

■ April 29 – Campaigned in San Fernando City, Pampanga, with Mayor Duterte; secured endorsement of former President Arroyo

– Rejected Robredo’s challenge for a one-on-one debate

■ April 30 – No event

Key message: “But you know, to be philosophical about it, I suppose God had other plans for me and being vice president was not a part of it.” (April 26 press briefing in Cagayan de Oro)

—NESTOR CORRALES

Manny Pacquiao #9

■ April 25 – Graced fourth season opening of his Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League in Batangas City, following reset of Comelec debate

■ April 26 – Kicked off Eastern Visayas sorties in Catarman, Northern Samar; then Calbayog and Catbalogan, Western Samar

– Joined Sen. Leila de Lima’s call for inquiry into alleged irregularities in DSWD’s 4Ps program

■ April 27 – Rallies, motorcades in Borongan, Eastern Samar, and in Tacloban City, Leyte

■ April 28 – Campaigned in Sogod and Maasin, Southern Leyte; proposed creation of Department of Youth Development

■ April 29 – Rallies in Ormoc City and Biliran; called for immediate resolution of De Lima drug cases following recantation of key witness Rolan Espinosa

– Warned of disorder if Marcos wins, saying “yellows” won’t accept it—and vice versa

■ April 30 – Zamboanga City and Cagayan de Oro City for motorcade, grand rally

Key message: “I’m just telling you: If Bongbong wins, there would be disorder unless the yellows accept it. If the yellows win, would the other side concede?” (April 29 press briefing in Biliran)

—JULIE M. AURELIO

Leni Robredo #10

■ April 25 – Returned to Nueva Ecija to meet with volunteers; campaigned in Muñoz and Cabiao towns

– Sectorial dialogue in Cabanatuan, then rally in Gapan

■ April 26 – Off to Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro; events in Talisay City canceled

■ April 27 – Barnstormed Bulacan for second time; rally in Baliuag, then another in Malolos where crowd was estimated at 165,000

■ April 28 – Daylong schedule in Quezon, starting with dialogue in Catanauan

– Rally in Guinayangan town drew an estimated 80,000 supporters

■ April 29 – In second campaign round in Laguna, met with fishermen, farmers from Paete and Pagsanjan towns; assembly in Calamba

– Grand rally in Santa Rosa, with crowd reported at 225,000

■ April 30 – Closed third month of campaign in two cities, five towns in Batangas, touring it for the third time

Key message: “A debate would give voters the opportunity to take a closer look at his track record, character and platform, and to see how he truly measures up compared to other candidates.” (April 29 statement challenging Marcos to a debate)

—MARLON RAMOS

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