President Marcos (center) and members of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate wave to the crowd at the conclusion of the campaign kickoff rally in Laoag City. (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN)

LAOAG CITY—Ilocanos--known for their loyalty to the Marcos name--were charmed by members of the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial line-up Tuesday, Feb. 11 during the first day of the campaign period here for the 2025 mid-term polls.

While President Marcos' attendance was the attraction of the kickoff at the Centennial Arena, the Alyansa candidates' respective pitches to the voters were the meat and potatoes of the matter.

Comprising the 12 administration bets were former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III; former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benhur Abalos; former Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao; Senators Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino, Imee Marcos; Makati City Mayor Abby Binay; House Deputy Speaker Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar; and House Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo. 

In his speech, Tulfo said that the county was facing many "battles", which included the high prices of goods, unemployment and underemolyment, and difficultly in accessing medicines. 

"Kung sang-ayon po kayo, sa darating po na Mayo, pahintulot po ninyo ang inyong lingkod na samahan ko po kayo sa laban na ito (If you agree with me, this coming May, let me be your comrade in this battle)," he said.

Tulfo said he experienced tackling some of these problems firsthand in his old job as Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary.

In a press conference earlier Tuesday, the survey-leading Tulfo asked the Ilocanos: "Vote for the alliance because iisa po ang objective dito (we only have one objective here)."

Also attending that presser was Villar, who likened the kickoff rally to a homecoming for the ideals of the President Marcos' Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) movement.

“‘Yung mga pangarap niya hindi lang para sa mga Ilokano, kundi para sa lahat ng Pilipino, ‘yan din ang isusulong ng Alyansa (His aspirations are not only for Ilocanos, but are for all Filipinos, and that's what Alyansa is also aiming for),” she said.

Lacson--In his speech at the arena--ighlighted the three best traits of Ilocanos, namely “masinop, masipag at matapat (frugal, industrious, and loyal)".

“The Ilocano is frugal and industrious to ensure a better future for his children. And the Ilocano is loyal,” he said in Filipino.

“If I am given the chance to serve, I will help President Marcos in his efforts to ensure a brighter future for our nation and for future generations of Filipinos,” added the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief. 

Binay--daughter of former vice president Jejomar Binay--embraced her Ilocano roots, as she traced her family’s lineage to Isabela province and Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.

“Iki-claim ko na—ang tatay ko po ay taga-Isabela. Nung nag-ikot po ako sa Bacara, nakita ko po nakalagay ang mga Albano na dating mayor, merong Purugganan, ito po ay kamag-anak ng aking lola sa side po ng aking tatay,” she said in the presser Tuesday.

(I will claim it--my father hails from Isabela. When I made rounds in Bacara, I read that the Albanos were former mayors, there were Purugganan, these are relatives of my grandmother on my father's side.)

“Nananalaytay pong dugong Ilocano kahit one-fourth na lang siguro, one-eighth. Pero kasi nga clannish ang mga Ilocano, iki-claim ko na," Binay said.

(There is Filipino blood in my veins, maybe just one-fourth, one-eighth. But since Ilocanos are clannish, I'm claiming it.)

Abalos also tried to strike a chord with the clannish locals in his speech at the arena by sharing news that his daughter was about to marry an Ilocano.

"May dugo kaming Ilocano, mag-aasawa ng Ilocano, sana po mahalin niyo rin ako bilang Ilocano (We have Ilocano blood, we marry with Ilocanos, I hope you love me as an Ilocano)," he said.

"Sana Ilocos, ampunin niyo ang buong pamilya ng Alyansa (Ilocos, I hope you adopt the entire family of the Alyansa)," Abalos added.

There were an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people in attendance for the kickoff rally.