TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte--If it weren't for the Covid-19 pandemic, presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos would have been joined by another Marcos on stage during the big UniTeam rally here Saturday night, April 9 at the Leyte Grandstand.
That other Marcos is none other than his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
"Alam ninyo, siguradong nanonood ng livestream ang aking ina. Kamustahin natin si Imelda (You know, I'm sure my mother is watching the livestream. Let's greet Imelda). Hello Imelda!" Bongbong told a crowd of around 150,000 people that packed the grandstand amid steady rains.
"Gustong-gusto niya sanang sumama pero alam mo na baka may Covid pa, mag-ingat muna siya. Pero lahat ay pinapanood kaya lahat kayo nakikita ng mother ko (She would have really liked to come but as you know, there's still Covid, so she has to be careful. But she's watching everything and she sees all of you)," the younger Marcos said.
Imelda, whose maiden name is Imelda Romualdez, traces her roots to Leyte. A former Ilocos Norte 2nd district representative, she is now 92 years old.
"I’m sure tuwang-tuwa yan na makita ang kanyang mga kababayan (I'm sure she's very happy to see her fellow Leyteños)," Bongbong said.
The rally was hosted by House Majority Leader and Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) President Martin Romualdez; his wife, Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez; and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
Bongbong and Majority Leader Romualdez are cousins.