OPPOSITION presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo is set to cast her vote today at the Carangcang Elementary School in Magarao, Naga City today while her running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan will vote at the Inchican Elementary School in Silang, Cavite.
On Saturday, the last day of the campaign, the Robredo-Pangilinan camp exceeded its expectation as around 750,000 people showed up for their grand rally in Makati City. The tandem had expected a record crowd of 500,000 for the “miting de avance.”
The Makati “Kakampink” crowd was the largest among the tandem’s campaign rallies as it even eclipsed the more than 400,000 people who attended Robredo’s 57th birthday rally last April 23 in Pasay City. Just last Friday, some 300,000 people participated in Robredo’s miting de avance in her hometown, Naga City.
For the last time, the opposition leader rallied supporters and volunteers, saying they should not fear anything as they have all fought a good fight and did everything they could to achieve victory.
“Palayain ang sarili sa duda at pangamba (Free yourselves from doubts and worries),” Robredo told the Makati crowd. “May tagumpay na nag-aabang. Ipanalo na natin ang sambayanang Pilipino (Victory awaits us. Let’s win this for the Filipino people).”
She thanked her supporters and made final request for them to join her in praying for the nation.
“Karapatan nating magkaroon ng kinabukasang may dignidad, at tungkulin natin na ipaglaban ito. Natutunan natin, walang imposible (It’s our right to have a dignified future and it’s our responsibility to fight for it. We have learned that nothing is impossible),” Robredo told supporters.
Robredo reminded the mammoth crowd that there is always hope. “Higit sa lahat, palaging may pag-asa (Most of all, there is always hope).”
Robredo was introduced on stage by her children — Aika, Tricia, and Jillian while Pangilinan was introduced by his wife, actress Sharon Cuneta, and their children.
The Kakampinks who filled the stretch of Ayala and Makati avenues stayed until midnight to party with local rock bands like Rivermaya, Moonstar 88, Ben and Ben, former Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia, Miggy Chavez of Chicosci and many other and performing artists like Gary Valenciano, Regine Velasquez and her husband Ogie Alcasid.
Among other celebrities who endorsed the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem on stage were 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray, comedian Jose Marie Viceral who is better known as “Vice Ganda.”
The Vice President also took the time to thank her campaign manager former Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino in Facebook post where she also greeted him a belated happy birthday. The former senator, a nephew of the late former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, turned 45 last Saturday.
“An hour late to greet our lifesaver, Bam Aquino, a very happy birthday. Brilliant, generous, super organized – he is the very reason I can afford to stay focused on my campaigning. He keeps the house in order and absorbs all the difficult stuff,” Robredo said.
Had Aquino turned down her request for him to be her campaign manager, Robredo said “I would not have taken the plunge.” “By saying YES, he said goodbye to his chance to run for a Senate seat this elections. Thank you, Sen. Bam, for being our anchor,” she said.
