By Ben Rosario
ISABELA, Negros Occidental - Former president and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo brought the Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial candidates here, bailiwick of the Arroyo family, with an assurance of strong support from local and community leaders.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Arroyo and sister-in-law, Ma. Lourdes Arroyo-Lesaca played host to HNP chairperson and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and 13 senatorial bets who have vowed support for the Duterte government’s legislative priorities for the 18th Congress.
Arroyo is also the host of the Bacolod City campaign sortie that was scheduled Monday afternoon.
Arroyo-Lesaca, sister of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, failed to show up at the jampacked sports complex here due to an undisclosed ailment. She is running unopposed for the fifth congressional district composed of Himaymalan City and the municipalities of Binalbagan, Isabela, Hinigaran, La Castellana and Moises Padilla.
Arroyo, who also brought the HNP bets in her congressional district in Pampanga, said she wanted the candidates to meet the people of Negros Occidental, especially the hometown of Lesaca.
“When I saw the schedule of Hugpong, I’ve seen that they don’t get a rally yet here. Since my sister-in- law is a candidate in the 5th district, I said maybe we can invite them,” she said.
“Negros Occidental is a very big province and city and it is important to meet the voters here. It’s really for the Hugpong candidates to introduce themselves to the people of Negros Occidental,” she told reporters during her visit to Teleperformance Bacolod City, the first BPO company in the Visayas region which she inaugurated in 2006.
Duterte expressed her gratitude to Arroyo as she led HNP candidates in the Visayas leg of its campaign caravan that started in Catarman City, Northern Samar on March 18.
Joining her on stage were re-electionist Sen. Cynthia Villar, former PNP chief Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, multi-awarded journalist Jiggy Manicad, former Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada.
Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos was represented by her brother, former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. while former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go, by television comedian Bayani Agbayani. #MatalinongBoto2019