True unity is about reaching out to others despite the differences and rallying together towards a common advocacy, Vice President Leni Robredo said before a 70,000 strong crowd in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental Friday night, March 11.
Speaking before the largest crowd so far in all her grand rallies, Robredo underscored the real meaning of unity.
She said that what binds Filipinos together despite being separated by distance and beliefs, are the aspirations for a better life and the dismay brought by "old and rotten system that glorifies influence peddling."
"Pinagbibigkis pa rin tayo ng paglingon sa katabi at pagbasa sa katotohanang nakasulat sa kanyang mata: nahihirapan na ako, may daan ba palabas dito, pwede mo ba akong samahan? (We are bonded by reaching out to our fellows and recognizing the truth written in their eyes: I am suffering, is there a way out, can you accompany me?)," Robredo said.
The Vice President affirmed that "there is a way out" and the way out of all these sufferings is accepting each other and rallying together towards a common goal.
"At ipakitang walang kayang tumumbas sa pinagbigkis na lakas ng taumbayan. ‘Wag po nating kakalimutan ang kasaysayan. Sa halip, balikan natin ang mga aral na nagdala sa atin dito (And let them see that nothing can break the united force of the nation. Let us not forget our history. Instead, let's look back on the lessons that brought us here)," Robredo said.
"Dito nagbubukal ang totoong unity. Ito ang totoong pagkakaisa, pagkakaisang babaklas sa luma at bulok na sistema at magsusulong ng gobyernong tapat, na mag-aangat ng buhay ng lahat (This is where true unity comes from. This is the real unity, a unity that will break the old and rotten system that will push for an honest government where lives will improve)," she added, earning a loud cheer from the pink-clad crowd.
The presidential aspirant also urged Negrenses to do more and "open your heart further" in campaigning for her and her slate.
While she recognized the "growing support" poured into her presidential bid at this point of the campaign, she believes she has to encourage more people to join her in her bid.
"Fifty days to go bago mag-May 9, alam kong ramdam na ninyo ang nararamdaman ko. Palakas nang palakas ang momentum at enerhiya, parami nang parami ang sumasama sa ating hanay, palalim nang palalim ang pagtataya sa ating laban (Fifty days to go before May 9, I know that you can already feel what I feel. The momentum and energy is getting stronger, more and more people are joining us, the confidence in our fight is getting deeper)," Robredo said.
"Galingan pa natin ang pakikipaglaban para sa tama at totoo. Lakihan pa po natin ang ating mga puso, pwede ba ‘yon? Lakasan pa natin ang ating mga tinig para dumami pa ang makakita na pwede palang ganito magkampanya (Let us do better in fighting for what is right and real. Let's open our hearts further, can we do that? Let's make our voice louder to get more people to realize that the campaign we are doing now is possible)," Robredo added.
"Pwede pala ang ganitong klase ng gobyerno: tapat, taumbayan ang bida, tunay na nagkakaisa (This kind of government is possible: honest, where the nation is priority, and true unity is a reality)," she said.
Robredo and her runningmate Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, as well as their senatorial slate, barnstormed Negros Occidental on Friday. Negros Occidental, one of the vote-rich provinces in the country, has backed Robredo's victory in 2016 with over 590,000 votes.
READ MORE: Record-breaking 70,000 crowd powers Team Leni-Kiko grand rally in Negros Occidental