Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, May 3, asked Aklanons to “double” the votes she got in 2016 this May 9 elections, especially now that she has the track record to prove her worth.
Speaking at the “Rosas de Mayo (Pink Festival),” the presidential contender told supporters that Aklan gave her a huge victory in the 2016 national elections and that she’s grateful for the trust Aklanons gave her despite her being relatively new to politics.
“Noong 2016 binigyan niyo ako dito ng napakalaking panalo. Noong 2016, nagtiwala kayo sa akin kahit wala pa ako masyadong resibo (In 2016, you gave me a very big win here. In 2016, you trusted me even though I don’t have much receipt),” she told the crowd at the Northwestern Visayan Colleges in Kalibo.
During the 2016 vice-presidential race, Robredo won by almost 100,000 votes against former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
This year, Aklan has more than 409,000 registered voters.
Now, Robredo said she can confidently ask Aklanons to rally behind her once more because she didn’t waste their trust in her.
“Sana 'yung botong binigay niyo sa akin noong 2016, doblehin niyo pa ngayong 2022 (Thank you very, very much. Hopefully, the vote you gave me last 2016, you can double this 2022),” she added.
But in the campaign homestretch, the Vice President asked her supporters to exert all remaining efforts to convince the undecided to switch to her and running mate Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan for good and honest governance in the next six years.
“Limang araw na lang. Kung nagsipag tayo doon sa nakaraang ilang buwan, 'yung lahat na puwede natin i-hirit para makakumbinsi pa, 'yung pagbantay natin na sana 'yung mga nagbabalak ng hindi maganda, hindi natin pabuweluhin (It’s only five days left. If we worked hard in the past months, all that we can still give to convince more, to guard those who plan to do something bad, let’s not give them a chance),” she said.
But the aspiring president added that she hopes everyone who would vote for her would also support Pangilinan.
Meanwhile, Robredo also barnstormed Iloilo for the last time. Here, Sen. Franklin Drilon, Iloilo Gov. Toto Defensor, Iloilo Rep. Michael Gorriceta and Nonoy Defensor raised the hands of Robredo and Pangilinan’s daughter Frankie during an assembly of volunteers.
As with Aklan, Iloilo also helped Robredo to victory in 2016, garnering more than 570,000 votes against Marcos’ 94,000 votes.
“Noong 2016, tinulungan niyo na ko ng lubos-lubos kahit po hindi niyo pa ako masyadong kilala. Pero, ang akin lang po, masasabi ko sa inyo ng diretsahan, hindi ko po sinayang ‘yung tulong na binigay ninyo sa akin (In 2016, you helped me in a big way even though you don’t know me well. But, for me, I can tell you directly, I didn’t waste the help you gave me),” she told District 2 volunteers in Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
Saying that Iloilo is her favorite place, Robredo assured that she served well in the past six years.
READ: Robredo’s pitch to Ilonggos: ‘You’re my favorite’
“Kaya po pagbalik ko dito sa Iloilo noong February, sinabi ko sa inyo: siguro naman hindi na ako dapat mahiya humingi ulit ng tulong dahil masasabi ko po ngayon, talagang ginawa ko ‘yung trabaho ko sa lubos ng aking makakaya (That’s why when I returned to Iloilo last February, I told you: maybe I won’t be shy to ask for help again because I can say now, I really did my job to the best of my ability),” the Vice President added.
Robredo also spent time thanking house-to-house volunteers at the Grand Province-Wide H2H Pasasalamat at the La Paz Football Field in Iloilo City.
“‘Yung pagbisita ko po ngayong hapon, talagang pasasalamat po ito sa mga nagha-house to house (My visit here this afternoon is really to thank those who did house to house),” she said.
“Pasasalamat po ito sa lahat ng ating supporters na mula po noong nag-announce tayo ay talagang grabe na 'yung sakripisyo, karamihan ay mga abonado (This is my way to thank all our supporters that since we‘ve announced, you’ve sacrificed a lot, many spent your own money),” the Vice President added.
The Robredo team launched a nationwide house-to-house campaign on April 2, which included celebrities and social media influencers.