Leni, Kiko draw crowd of 220,000 in Pampanga
OPPOSITION presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan drew their biggest crowd so far since the beginning of the campaign period last February, gathering some 220,000 supporters in Pampanga on Saturday night.
The province is the turf of former President and House speaker Gloria Arroyo who has declared support for Robredo’s rival, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and his running mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Local organizers of the “Manalakaran” grand rally held at the Robinsons Starmills grounds in San Fernando City, quoting the PNP, said some 220,000 people participated in the event which was staged four days after Arroyo, who is eyeing a return as representative of the province’s second district, vowed to deliver a landslide victory to the Marcos-Duterte tandem in her turf.
“Pinakamalaking crowd na yata ito (This seems to be the the biggest crowd we’ve seen),” Robredo later told the mostly young rally participants who chanted they were not paid to show up.
The Kampampangan crowd eclipsed even the one held in the Pasig City on March 20, where about 137,000 “Kakampinks” gathered and partied in the streets to support Robredo and Pangilinan. A day earlier, Robredo drew a crowd of about 76,000 in Pangasinan during the “Talindeg” rally.
Through the efforts of the Robredo-Pangilinan People’s Council, the opposition tandem managed to pull off its biggest show of force in Pangasinan even if they do not have the support of most local politicians led by Gov. Dennis Pineda who met with the Vice President and the senator earlier in the day when they paid him a courtesy call at the provincial capitol.
More than a political rally, the event turned into a music and arts festival where volunteers offered free food and craft to attendees who watched celebrities like megastar Sharon Cuneta, Nadine Lustre, Sam Concepcion, K Brosas and Miles Ocampo.
“Sabi niyo kanina hindi naman kayo bayad. Nakatayo kayo kanina pa, napakainit, malamang gutom na kayo, pero bakit kayo nagsasakripisyong ganito? Dahil sa napakalaking pagmamahal ninyo sa bayan (You said earlier you weren’t paid. You’ve been standing there for hours, it’s so hot and maybe you’re hungry but why are you doing this sacrifice? It’s because of your tremendous love for country),” Robredo said.
The Vice President said the country needs meaningful change, “a change that will not come from politicians but from the hearts and minds of every Filipino.”
“Ang tunay na lakas, hindi manggagaling sa pera o makinarya. Pero, ang tunay na lakas magmumula sa nagkakaisang taumbayan. At ngayong gabi, pinakita ng Pampanga (Real strength will not come from money or political machinery but from the people. And tonight, Pampanga showed it),” Robredo said.
While she lost in the province to Marcos in the 2016 vice presidential race, Robredo vowed that no one will be left behind if she becomes president, saying she will be the president of all Filipinos regardless of political color.
During the rally, one of the politicians who urged the Vice President to seek the presidency, San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago, formally endorsed the tandem and raised their hands on stage.
At one point, Pangilinan could not hold back tears as a group of farmers surprisingly appeared on stage after his speech and raised his hands in support for his vice presidential bid.
The farmers from Barangay San Nicolas in San Simon town were Virgilio “Tatay Neg” Alfaro, 87, who has been farming for 69 years; Felino “Tatay Feling” Macapagal, 78, farming for 63 years; Renante Quintana, 41, farming for 30 years; Geronimo Santos, 53, for 35 years; Reymon Tomas, 33, for 18 years; Jun Alfaro, 35, for 19 years; Darius Simbulan, 46, for 25 years; Reynold Alfaro, 39, for 16 years; Juanito Manaloto, 41, for 23 years; and Darren Simbulan, 34, who has been farming for 10 years.
“Kahit simpleng tao lang kami, ipapanalo namin sina Sir Kiko at Ma’am Leni. (Even if we’re just ordinary people, we’ll bring victory to Sir Kiko and Ma’am Leni),” said Simbulan.
Pangilinan, who has long been agriculture advocate, responded by saying the will of the people will ultimately prevail over any other political endorsement.
“Iyong ilang pulitiko… hindi naman natin sila pwede i-pwersa, karapatan nila na mag-endorso (Politicians… we can’t force them to support us, it’s their right to endorse whoever they want),” he said. “Patunay ito na ang ating lakas ay hindi lang sa politiko manggagaling, kundi magsasaka, mangingisda, manggagawa, sa taumbayan (This is proof that our strength will not come only from politicians but also from farmers, fishermen, laborers, the people).”
Pangilinan was thanking the audience when his wife, megastar Sharon Cuneta, announced that guests have arrived to endorse Pangilinan.
The scene was also a tearful reunion for Pangilinan and Tatay Neg, who has been a constant feature in many of the senator’s speeches about his advocacy for farmers and fishers. Pangilinan has visited the San Simon farmers for a dialogue on how to revive agriculture and uplift their condition.
