TARLAC—Local chief executives from Capas, Moncada, and Santa Ignacia in this province, the bailiwick of the late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, endorsed the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday, March 23.
Although she is running as an independent candidate, Robredo retains the chairmanship of the Liberal Party (LP), of which Aquino was chairman emeritus before he died in June last year.
Tarlac is a known stronghold of the once-ruling LP as it is the home province of Aquino III's parents, former President Corazon Aquino and former Senator Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino, Jr.
The Vice President began her tour of Tarlac in Capas, where Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan turned sentimental as he introduced her while remembering the Aquinos—Cory, Ninoy, and Noynoy.
“Ang sabi po nila lugaw si Leni. Ang ating sagot, hindi baleng lugaw, huwag lang magnanakaw (They said Leni is porridge. Our answer, never mind she’s porridge as long as she’s not a thief),” he said.
“Dito po sa Capas ang aming adhikain, ipagpatuloy ang demokraskya, hindi ang diktaturya (Here in Capas, our goal is to continue democracy and not dictatorship),” Catacutan added.
After asking for Robredo’s permission to introduce her the same way he introduced Noynoy in Capas and Concepcion, the song “The Impossible Dream (The Quest)” was played over the speakers.
The hit from the 1965 Broadway musical “Man of La Mancha” was Ninoy’s favorite song and became the opposition’s rallying song against the Marcos dictatorship.
Catacutan also took a swipe at “False Asia” and pointed at the huge crowd that gathered for Robredo’s mini rally. The recent Pulse Asia survey placed the Vice President a far second to former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Madam Vice President, kami ngayon nasa harap niyo, taos-pusong maka-Diyos na nangangako: Wala kaming iboboto (we are here in front of you, wholeheartedly for God promise: We will vote no one) nobody, nobody but you ... at sa ngalan ng demokrasya ... Capas! Sa Mayo anuwebe sa siguradong panalo ni VP Leni Robredo, tayo sabay-sabay isigaw: magkaisa (and in the name of democracy ... Capas! On May 9 in VP Leni Robredo’s sure win, let’s shout together: unite),” he said.
A group sang “Magkaisa,” one of the most notable songs of the bloodless People Power revolt in 1986 that toppled the Marcos dictatorship.
In her speech, Robredo took note of the programs that she brought to Tarlac, where she won by 29,000 votes. She had her Vaccine Express and Community Learning Hub programs there.
But she also brought new promises, such as professionalizing the barangay so the officials wages will be dependent on the law and not on the revenue of the particular barangay, and the extension of the barangay officials’ terms.
“Kaya ko po sinasabi na kailangang alagaan natin 'yung mga barangay officials kasi kayo na nasa barangay, pag meron kayong kailangan, kanino kayo unang lumalapit? Sa kapitan di ba? O sa kagawad? Kaya dapat inaasikaso sila kasi sila 'yung representation ng pamahalaan sa inyo (The reason why I say that we need to take care of barangay officials because those of you in the barangay, when you need something, whom do you reach out? To the captain, right? Or the councilor? That’s why we need to take care of them because they are the representation of the government to you),” Robredo explained.
She also wants them to have a five-year instead of a three-year term because three years are too short to make meaningful reforms and programs in the barangay.
In Luis Morales Park in Moncada, a manifesto of support for Robredo was read and Mayor Estrelita "Lita" Aquino called her an “idol.”
“Gusto natin ng tapat na gobyerno, tama? Dahil ang tapat na gobyerno, angat buhay lahat, walang maiiwanan, lalong-lalo na sa laylayan ng lipunan dahil ganyan ang ating susunod na presidente ng Republika ng Pilipinas (We want an honest government, right? Because an honest government, lives will improve, no one will get left behind, especially the fringes of society because that’s how our next president of the Republic of the Philippines is),” she said.
She called on the crowd to make sure to vote come Election Day because all their efforts are for nothing if they will not troop to the polling precincts.
Former Tarlac Rep. Jose 'Peping' Cojuangco, former President Cory’s brother, was in Moncada to support Robredo and running mate Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, who is running under the Liberal Party.
After thanking the crowd, the Vice President addressed misconceptions that the election is between a “Bicolana and Ilocano,” referring to Marcos, the survey frontrunner.
Rather, she said the 2022 polls is a battle for an honest and incorruptible government.
“Hindi lang labanan ng mga pangalan ng kandidato pero sa akin po ang pinagdedesisyunan po natin dito, anong klaseng pamahalaan ang gusto nating mamayani dito sa ating bansa sa susunod na anim na taon (Not only a battle of names of candidates but for me, what we’re deciding on here is the kind of governance we want to rule in our country in the next six years),” Robredo added.
“Kaya po natin sinasabing gobyernong tapat, angat buhay lahat dahil hindi po tayo aasenso, walang pagbabagong manyayari, kundi maayos ang ating gobyerno (We say an honest government, improved lives for all because we will not progress, there’s no change that will happen if we will not fix our government).”
In Santa Ignacia, Robredo likewise secured the backing of Mayor Nora Modomo, who introduced her as “my President” during the mini rally there.