An official close to the BBM-Sara UniTeam campaign trail is expecting nothing less than a "mind-blowing" reception for the tandem in Ilocos Norte.
"The support for UniTeam that we saw recently in Isabela and Cagayan was awe-inspiring and we thank the local residents for that. But we're now here in Ilocos Norte and this will no doubt be mind-blowing in terms of the outpouring of support," LAKAS-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said in a statement Wednesday, Feb. 16.
UniTeam is composed of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer former Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. and his running mate, Lakas-CMD chairperson Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
The tandem is already in Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte as of this posting. A massive rally will be held for them tonight at the Paoay Sand Dunes.
Before this, the UniTeam pair will carry out sorties in Pagudpod, Bangui, Burgos, and Pasuquin, among others locations to meet local folk and consolidate the backing of officials ahead of the May 2022 elections.
These nationwide sorites have been conducted under the caravan dubbed the "Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas Ride (MNPR)," which was mainly initiated by Duterte-Carpio.
Marcos--or "Apo BBM" like what Duterte-Carpio likes to call him--traces his roots to Ilocos Norte, with his late father, former strongman President Ferdinand Marcos, being a known native of Sarrat.
"This is what Solid North is all about. The Marcos name has captured the Ilocano vote; nothing is more formidable here and at the same time more loved by Filipinos in the region," noted Romualdez.
"Add to this equation the 'Eagle of Mindanao' in Mayor Inday Sara, who brings her proven track record as Davao chief executive and her father's legacy of service. This team is unbeatable and all our fellow Filipinos need to do is to unite with them," added the Leyte 1st district representative.
The MNPR, which the presidential daughter kicked off in Davao at the start of February, is primarily meant to spread the BBM-Sara tandem’s message of unity.
Marcos and Duterte believe that unity will be the key factor in collectively pulling Filipinos out of the muck that resulted from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.