Back in Cavite, Robredo woos voters for Kiko-Bam tandem
Senatorial aspirants Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan stood before a sea of people at the Dasmariñas Arena in Dasmariñas City, Cavite. Between them was former vice president Leni Robredo, who raised their hands and asked for their supporters to once more pull what seemed to be improbable: bring these two back to the Senate hall while facing a well-oiled political machinery of the administration bets.
Former vice president Leni Robredo raises the hands of Senate bets Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan during the People’s Campaign kick-off rally in Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (Kiko Pangilinan/Facebook)
In 2022, Pangilinan agreed to run as Robredo’s vice president, while Aquino backed down from his senatorial aspirations and became her campaign manager. What followed was a historic pink campaign that filled stadiums, arenas, the Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City, and Ayala Avenue in Makati.
While those rallies fell short, Aquino and Pangilinan are both banking on what they described as a “People’s Campaign,” one that’s run purely by volunteerism, for the 2025 midterm elections.
So, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, the official start of the campaign season, the trio again found themselves in vote-rich Cavite province, which they returned to twice in 2022, trying to woo a big slice of its 2.4 million registered voters.
Walk down memory lane
When Robredo took the stage, it was like 2022 over again and a thunderous applause welcomed her back.
She recalled the heartbreaks of the past three years and lamented the issues that now surround the country.
“Ngayon, nahaharap tayo sa bagong yugto. Ang midterms elections, kung saan may pagkakataon tayong palakasin ang hanay (Now, we are facing a new chapter. The midterm elections, which is a chance to strengthen our ranks),” she said.
And while she commended Senator Risa Hontiveros for her performance in the Senate, she asked for her supporters to send both Aquino and Pangilinan back to the upper chamber.
“Pero di ba mas gagaan ang laban pag meron siyang kasama? Kaya ang susunod na atas para sa ating lahat, bigyan natin si Senator Risa ng mga kaalyado at katuwang, mga kapwa niya matitino at mahuhusay na titindig kasama niya sa lahat ng laban (But wouldn’t it be better fight if she has allies? So the next goal for us all is to give Senator Risa allies and partners, who like her are decent and excellent and will be with her in the fight),” Robredo added.
Cavite, she said, holds a special in her heart, recalling her two visits to the province during the 2022 campaign season and enumerating the towns that she visited.
Vice President Leni Robredo returns to vote-rich Cavite to campaign for senatorial candidates Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan. (Leni Robredo/Instagram)
In particular, she remembered and greeted in the audience Sherwin and Tin Abdon, former Marcos supporters who turned Robredo allies when Sherwin had to give the former vice president a ride on his motorbike en route to her campaign rally in General Trias.
The Abdons, alongside Robredo’s friends and supporters in Cavite’s local government units, waved at the former official.
“Ipinaglaban natin na bigyan ng bagong buhay ang ating bayan. Marami sa atin talagang nangahas na tumindig laban sa mas malalaking makinarya at interes at kasama namin kayo sa bawat sandali at saksi din ako sa pag-aalay nyo ng buong puso sa ating kampanya (We fought to give a new life to our country. Many of us took risks to stand up and fight against bigger machineries and interests and you were with us in every way and I was a witness to how you offered your hearts to our campaign),” she told the crowd.
“Kaya habanag buhay kong ituturing ang karangalan na sa laban natin nung 2022 minahal nyo ako at pinagkatiwalaan (That is why I will forever think of our fight in 2022 as an honor because you loved and trusted me),” she added.
But although she eventually decided to run as mayor of her hometown Naga City, the former vice president believed Aquino and Pangilinan rightfully belong to the Senate.
Aquino was, she shared, her campaign manager both in 2016 when she run and won as vice president and again, in 2022. He’s now running under the program of free education and jobs for all.
Pangilinan, who was Robredo’s vice presidential tandem in 2022, was described as “napakabuting tao, honest, saka maaasahan na kasangga (a very good person, honest, and someone you can count on).”
“Sina Bam at Kiko ay dalawa sa pinakamatitibay na patunay na ang tunay na nagmamahal hindi ka lolokohin, hindi ka iiwan, at hinding hindi ka susukuan (Bam and Kiko are the strongest proof that true love won’t fool you, won’t leave you, and won’t give up on you),” she said.
Why Cavite matters
Calling themselves naturalized Caviteños as they have been staying and voting in a barangay in Silang, Cavite, Pangilinan thanked the province for voting for him in the three terms he previously spent in the Senate.
Former senator Kiko Pangilinan delivers his speech during the proclamation rally on the first day of the campaign period. (Photo courtesy of Kiko Pangilinan via Facebook)
Introduced by wife, Megastar Sharon Cuneta, the former senator talked about why Cavite and its place in history matters to him and why they’re back wooing its voters.
He recalled that the Battle of Imus was the first victory of the Filipino revolutionaries against the Spaniards in 1896, and how a kick-off rally in Cavite would hopefully become an inspiration for other provinces.
But as a family, the Pangilinans have a soft spot for Cavite as they chose it to be their second home province—building a home in Silang and a farm in Alfonso.
“Hindi man kami natural-born Caviteño, maaari kaming ituring na naturalized Caviteño. At malapit sa aming puso bilang senador ang Cavite dahil sa tatlong beses nating tumakbong senador, tatlong beses din tayo pinanalo ng Cavite (We may not be natural-born Caviteño, but we are naturalized Caviteño. And as a senator, Cavite is near my heart because in the three times I run as senator, I won in Cavite three times, too),” he shared.
As a senator, Pangilinan took pride in his name never being dragged to anomalies, vowing that he served honestly and truthfully.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that Region 4A (Calabarzon) has more than 9,761,170 million voters, making it the country’s top vote-rich region.
Of the five provinces in the region, Cavite has the highest number of voters in the region—2,460,981 registered voters across 16 municipalities and seven cities, covering eight congressional districts.
More education reforms
When Aquino walked on stage after being introduced by actress Bea Binene, he was joined by college students, who seemingly were beneficiaries of his free college bill.
College students share the stage with Senate bet Bam Aquino in Cavite. (Photo from Bam Aquino Facebook page)
He shared that one of the reasons he wants to go back to the Senate is to make sure the law is being properly implemented and funded.
“Isa pong batas na napakahalaga. Kailangan pong protektahan, kailangan pong pondohan, kailangan pong mas palawakin pa iyong batas para sa libreng kolehiyo (A law that is very important. We need to protect, we need to fund, we need to expand the law for free college),” he said.
In Cavite, the former senator said, the law is helping 80,000 students, with half of them already graduates, but he lamented the P3-billion budget cut in the 2025 national budget.
Aquino then pointed to the students standing behind him, saying that they are proof of how important the law is.
“Sila po ang resibo ko. Sila ang pruweba na libre na ang kolehiyo dito sa Pilipinas (They are my receipts. They are proof that college is free in the Philippines),” he said.
“Sila po ang pruweba na kung ang lingkod bayan maglilingkod, gagawa ng tama, hindi magnanakaw, at gagawin ang para sa bayan, kaya nating umangat (They are proof that if the public servant will serve, will do what’s right, will not steal, and will do what the country needs, we can progress),” the former senator added.
Star-studded event
Akin with the 2022 pink rallies, Aquino’s and Pangilinan’s proclamation rally drew celebrities and influencers.
Topped by Pangilinan’s wife, Megastar Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan, the event was hosted by TV host Robi Domingo and comedian Alex Calleja, as well as theater and TV actress Pinky Amador.
OPM band Parokya ni Edgar closed the show with five of their most popular songs—“Para Sayo,” “Harana,” “Bagsakan,” “One and Only You,” and “Halaga.”