Calbayog, Samar is pink, former Interior secretary Mel Sarmiento said on Monday, March 28, in the latest string of endorsements for Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential bid.
Calling Robredo “mahusay, matino, at maaasahan (excellent, decent, and dependable),” the former lawmaker and Calbayog mayor stressed that only Robredo is qualified to become president because of her background in economics.
“Dito po sa amin, dalawa lang ang partido. Two-party system kami rito. Ang Liberal at ang aming katunggali (Here, there are only two parties. We are two-party system here. The Liberal and the opposition),” he said mostly in Waray at the Calbayog City Sports Center.
“Ang Liberal Party nanindigan ng ilang dekada at pinaganda ang Calbayog. Ang laban ngayon pula at pink. Ang Liberal rito, pink (The Liberal Party here stood up for decades and made Calbayog beautiful. The fight now is between red and pink. The Liberal here is pink)!,” Sarmiento, an ex-fiance of TV host and actress Kris Aquino, added.
His endorsement came after Aquino, the youngest sister of ex-President Noynoy Aquino, under which Sarmiento served as Interior chief, guested at the Tarlac rally for Robredo last week.
“Ngayong eleksyon, sila pula, tayo pink! Pink ipakita natin. Ipakita natin ang lakas natin (This election, they are red, we are pink! Let us show pink. Let us show our strength),” Sarmiento said.
In her speech, Robredo promised to give all that Samar needs to progress, including investing in roads and renewable sources of energy.
She talked about the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) projects in Samar, which included programs in education, health, and agriculture.
During the pandemic, she also sent personal protective equipment (PPE), medical supplies, vaccines, and Swab Cab for the people of Samar.
Despite her office’s meager resources, Robredo said she was able to deliver much-needed help because of sound fiscal management.
“Yung kakaunting meron kami, walang nahuhulog sa korupsyon. Yung kaunting meron kami, nasisiguro na mapupunta siya doon sa mga lugar na talagang nangangailangan (What little we have, nothing falls to corruption. What little we have, makes sure that it will go to places in need),” the Vice President added.
Citing her office’s “unqualified opinion,” the highest rating that can be achieved, from the Commission on Audit (COA), Robredo said her projects were made possible by good governance.
“Alam po natin na wala tayong aasahang pagbabago kapag ang gobyerno hindi natin nilinis (We know that we cannot expect change if we don’t clean our government),” she added.
Her running mate, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, highlighted the need to campaign more for the team.
He said that supporters or kakampinks need to convince the Andy’s or undecided voters to become Daisy’s (decided).
The latest survey showed that four percent of the respondents are still undecided on who to vote for in this coming elections.
Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, the vice president of the ruling PDP-Laban in Visayas and a known ally of President Duterte, also earlier endorsed Robredo.