A CROWD reminiscent of that which toppled the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1896 gathered and partied in the streets of Pasig City on Monday night for the campaign rally of opposition presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.
At least 130,000 supporters, including artists, street vendors, professionals, the young and the old, flooded Emerald Avenue, Doña Julia Vargas in Ortigas and nearby streets, making it the largest campaign rally of the opposition tandem to date.
The police estimated the crowd at around 80,000 on Monday afternoon. The rally organizers said the crowd grew to around 130,000 by night.
After the sun set, the mostly young crowd who trooped to the “PasigLaban Para sa Tropa Pasig City People’s Rally” lit up their cellphones as they flashed their pink banners, placards and posters.
Robredo told the crowd: “Ito po ba ‘yung sinasabi nilang hakot lang? Kayo ba ‘yung tinatawag nilang bayaran? Malinaw na malinaw naman na hindi kayo bayad (Is this what they a hauled crowd? Are you those they call paid? It’s very clear that you weren’t).”
The “Kakampinks” chanted, “Hindi kami bayad (We’re not paid)!”
The mammoth crowd got the attention of American pop star Ariana Grande who shared a video of the supporters singing her 2014 hit song, “Break Free” on her Instagram account which trended on social media.
“I couldn’t believe this was real,” the 28-year-old singer said on her Instagram stories. “I love you more than words.”
Among the showbiz personalities who participated in the event were Robi Domingo, Melai Cantiveros, Julia Barretto, Angel Locsin, and bands like Ben & Ben, Itchy Worms and singer Ebe Dancel.
The “Tropang Angat” senatorial candidates like lawyer Chel Diokno, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Sen. Risa Hontiveros were the first ones to deliver their campaign speeches, followed by Robredo who started by informing the crowd that Pangilinan could not make the rally as he was participating in the Commission on Election’s vice presidential debates.
The grand rally ended at around 8:45 p.m. after a song from the Ben & Ben who were personally thanked by the Vice President with the other artists who graced the event.
Robredo, in her speech, urged the crowd to give everything they have to convince others to join their “crusade” for good governance, noting that they still have 50 days left to do it.
“Let’s invite those who are not yet here. Even if many of us are here tonight, a lot are not yet with us. We want to tell them, you are very welcome here. I hope they see that it’s fun here. It’s full of hope here),” she said in Filipino.
She asked her supporters to knock on other people’s doors, convince friends and co-workers via Zoom meetings or other online platforms, while they are on jeepney or Grab rides “and spread our message of hope, unity, and love which are the foundation of our fight.”
“Pakiusap ko po ngumiti habang nakikipagkuwentuhan, mahirap ba ‘yun? Hindi naman mahirap, di ba? (Please smile while having a conversation, is it hard? I don’t think it’s hard),” Robredo said, stressing that her supporters have to be more understanding of where other people are coming from instead of antagonizing them for supporting other presidential candidates.
‘ENOUGH POWERS’
At the Comelec debates, Pangilinan said he believes that the powers vested in the Vice President by the Constitution are already enough, citing the case of Robredo who made do with a minuscule annual budget and funding her projects and programs through the help of the public sector.
“It’s up to the vice president, whoever he or she is, how to use it efficiently,” he said in Filipino, when asked if he believes that the vice president needs to have more power instead of being just a “spare tire.”
Pangilinan said the public has seen Robredo’s hard work, especially her office’s COVID-19 response, which he said proves that the second most powerful person in the country does not need additional powers to be effective.
Former Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, campaign manager for the tandem’s senatorial slate, said Robredo will be “a President who shows up and who has all the receipts for the people.”
“If you have lost your job to the pandemic, your home to a typhoon, your farm to floods, that is a comforting statement that you want to hear,” he said, taking cue from Robredo who earlier took a swipe at her biggest rival, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for refusing to face the public in debates and for being nowhere to be found in difficult times.
Tañada said that for the Vice President, disaster response “is not a slogan or a line fed by advisers but a cause she has devoted herself to,” adding that she has been “walking the talk” even before the pandemic.
“It has been inculcated in her because she sees it as part of her duties as vice president even if that is not in the official job description of the VP,” Tañada said, noting Robredo’s office has been turned into a stockroom for relief goods and the compound into a repacking center.
During campaign rallies, Robredo begins her speech with a retelling of how she had been to a city or province to bring relief goods and other aid to victims of a calamity.
“Her compassion is real. Her humanitarian activities is of public record. Kaya nga ang tawag sa kanya ng mga tao ina ng laging saklolo (That’s why the people call her the mother of perpetual help),” said Tañada.
At the debates, Pangilinan also criticized Marcos’ running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for snubbing the poll body’s event, saying suitors need to muster the courage to face the parents of the woman they are wooing.
“May tatlo akong anak na babae. Dapat respetuhin ang anak ko, respetuhin ang magulang.
‘Pag hindi humaharap, nirerespeto ba kami? ‘Pag hindi humaharap, hindi nirerespeto ang botante (I have three daughters. They have to be respected, the parents have to be respected. If they (suitors) don’t face us, are they showing respect? They’re not respecting the voters),” he said.
