ILOILO CITY -- Leading presidential candidates Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo are both set to barnstorm this city and Iloilo on Tuesday, May 3.
Marcos and his UniTeam will hold their miting de avance for the Visayas in Guimbal, a town in southern Iloilo province.
Robredo will have a stationary caravan from Iloilo Airport all the way to Iloilo City, where she will have a grand rally at La Paz Plaza.
The UniTeam will be hosted by the Garin political clan led by incumbent Iloilo 1st District Congresswoman Janette Loreto-Garin and her husband, former congressman Richard Garin.
Robredo will be hosted by the coalition led by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The city and province of Iloilo have generally been known as the bailiwick of Robredo, who defeated Marcos in the 2016 vice presidential race by a wide margin.
However, the support of Iloilo’s politicians among the two candidates are split.
Marcos is supported by the political clan of former Iloilo 4th District congressman Ferj Biron and incumbent Iloilo 5th District Congressman Raul Tupas. In Iloilo City, BBM supporters include incumbent Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon and former Iloilo City and congressional candidate Jose Espinosa III.
Among Robredo’s supporters are Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., Iloilo 2nd District Congressman Michael “Mike” Gorriceta and Iloilo 3rd District Congressman Lorenz Defensor.
Robredo has also been endorsed by Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon.
Both Marcos and Robredo also campaigned in Iloilo last February.
Iloilo is one the vote-rich provinces in the country with its 43 municipalities and one city accounting for a voting population of 1,525,168 as of 2019, with Iloilo City having 294,776 registered voters. The number is definitely bigger this year.