50,000 attend ‘Biyaheng Gloria’ rally in Manila

The greatest show of the election season is in town.

Some 50,000 supporters of President Arroyo marched on the streets yesterday to welcome the arrival of "Biyaheng Gloria," a 45-day caravan that started simultaneously from Tawi-Tawi and Batanes last March 25.

The caravan converged at the Liwasang Bonifacio in front of the Philippine Postal Office for the presentation of the eight million signatures of support it has gathered for the President as well as the grand finals of the nationwide "Gloria look-alike" contest.

"Biyaheng Gloria is now in Manila to celebrate the bandwagon of support for our candidate, President Arroyo," said caravan spokesman Robert Bastillo.

Bastillo said the highlights of the celebration include a human chain of 10,000 pro-Arroyo campaigners that will cover the stretch between Taft Avenue in Pasay City and España Avenue in Manila and Quezon City.

Bastillo said the candidates of the Gloria look-alike contest will join the motorcade rally from Quirino Avenue in Manila and Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City.

The Biyaheng Gloria caravan has already toured Northern Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon and the Bicol provinces, as well as the whole stretch of the Visayas and Mindanao. The tour covered 40 major provinces with a total voting population of 36 million.

The caravan was conceptualized to popularize the President’s accomplishments in different parts of the country. The tour includes market tours, small town hall meetings and the signature campaign.

Alex Cauguiran, secretary-general of Progressive and Responsible Organizations for Genuine Leadership, Outstanding Reforms and Intelligent Action (Pro-Gloria), said the bandwagon for Mrs. Arroyo is real.

"Ordinary people line up in our signature centers to signify their support for the President," he said.

Cauguiran noted that Pro-Gloria is well on its way to securing its target of 13.5 million pro-Arroyo votes in the coming elections.

He said that the 13.5 million votes is different from the votes expected to be delivered by the traditional political parties backing the President.

"This effort is independent of the political machinery of the President," he said.

Cauguiran named the groups supporting the campaign as Lakas Pinoy, Kaibigan ni GMA, Kalipi ni Gloria, Aguman ning Capampangan, Kaisambahay, United Filipino Seafarers, Kaibigan OCWs, National Federation of Tricycle Drivers and Operators’ Association of the Philippines, Akbay Pinoy, Pinoy Overseas Party, Bigkis Pinoy, Muslim Peace and Order Council, Team Gloria, Kagabay ni Gloria and E-Gloria.

He said that in a tight race, if 80 percent of the country’s 42 million registered voters vote, 13.5 million can already be considered a winning number.