Ilonggos are expected to come in droves for the upcoming campaign rally of former senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan on Thursday, March 6, at the Iloilo Sports Complex Covered Gym.
(Photo from Team Kiko-Bam)
The volunteer campaign kick-off will be attended by former vice president Leni Robredo, Senator Risa Hontiveros, and former senate president Franklin Drilon, himself an Iloilo native.
“ILOILO, HANDA NA BA KAYONG IBALIK ANG KIKO-BAM SA SENADO (Iloilo, are you ready to bring Kiko-Bam back to the Senate)?,” Aquino wrote on his Facebook page.
The province’s congressional and local leaders will also be present to welcome Aquino and Pangilinan, as well as their Ilonggo supporters.
Gov. Toto Defensor and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas previously announced that the tandem is welcome to campaign in the province anytime.
In 2022, Iloilo City drew a mammoth 40,000 crowd for the grand rally of Robredo also at the Iloilo Sports Complex.
The former vice president already formalized her endorsement of Aquino and Pangilinan during the campaign kickoff rally at the Dasmariñas City Arena in Cavite last month.
She recalled how the former senator became dependable during her 2016 campaign for the vice presidency and the 2022 presidential campaign, both of which Aquino stood as her campaign manager.
“Higit pa sa husay, si Senator Bam ay masasandalan sa pinakamalalaking laban. Alam na alam ko ito dahil siya ang aking naging campaign manager noong ako ay lumabas for the vice presidency sa 2016 at siya ulit ang aking piniling campaign manager noong ako’y napalaban noong 2022 (Aside from his excellence, Senator Bam is dependable in the biggest battle. I know this because he was my campaign manager when I run for the vice presidency in 2016 and again in 2022),” Robredo said.
“Bagamat marami ang mga hamon na ating kinaharap, kampante ako dahil siniguro niya na maayos ang lahat. Ganyan ang senador na kailangan ng taumbayan: Mahusay at maaasahan (Despite the many challenges we faced, I am confident because he made sure everything is okay. That’s the senator the people need: Excellent and dependable),” she added.
Drilon, a native of Iloilo, also declared his full support for Aquino’s Senate comeback bid. He called him a hardworking senator during his term from 2013 to 2019.
“He's one of the brightest Senators I've worked with and a man who is sincerely concerned for the welfare of the Filipino people," the former senate president said.
“He pushed for the passage of several important laws that focus on the welfare of the Filipino people, including the free college law that is being enjoyed by many Filipino students, including thousands of Ilonggos,” he added.
In the 2019 polls, Aquino finished second in Iloilo City with 115,013 votes and third in the entire Iloilo province with 572,987 votes.