MANILA, Philippines – A day after a group of students showed up at Malacañang to air their support to President Arroyo, it was the turn of barangay leaders yesterday to show that they are behind the administration.
While several groups were massing up at the Liwasang Bonifacio for an anti-Arroyo rally, the officials of the Liga ng Barangay staged a “unity walk” with the President in Palace grounds.
The unity walks were becoming a common sight at Malacañang since the anti-Arroyo rallies started in Metro Manila, with various groups taking turns for photo opportunities with the President.
The Cabinet members were the first to do the walk, followed by the allies of the President in the House of Representatives, governors, the students and then the barangay leaders.
After walking with the President to the Rizal Hall in the Palace, the Liga ng Barangay officers and all of the newly elected chapter officers took their oath before Mrs. Arroyo.
Liga ng Barangay national president Ricojudge Echeverri of Caloocan City said that their presence there was not deliberately scheduled to coincide with the anti-Arroyo rally but was planned sometime ago.
He said the primary reason for the visit was for the oath-taking but he admitted that they also wanted to show their support to the President.
According to Echeverri, 88 of their 118 local chapters are supportive of the President and her administration.
He said that there were a number of their members who belong to the opposition, including the Makati and San Juan chapters, who opted not to join the oath-taking ceremony.
Echeverri said that the support for the President was stronger in the provinces than in Metro Manila because they were benefiting from the projects implemented by the administration.
Malacañang, meanwhile, said it respected the right of various groups to stage the rallies against the administration as part of the democratic process.
The demonstrations have come and gone and the Palace showed no signs of worry that any of these would escalate into something more serious.