In provinces where she lost in 2016, Robredo’s rallies draw thousands
MANILA, Philippines — Despite rain, transportation woes and the challenges posed by being in enemy territory, Vice President Leni Robredo’s Kakampinks were not deterred from showing up in the tens of thousands at her grand rallies in Rizal, Davao del Norte and Pangasinan this week.
In Rizal, non-stop rains failed to dampen the mood of some 43,000 people who endured the downpour for hours just to see and hear the independent presidential candidate.
Robredo admitted that she floated the idea of rescheduling the rally to organizers, who insisted that Rizaleños were ready for her rain or shine.
Rain also failed to keep Kakampinks away from her Davao del Norte rally, where around 35,000 people showed up despite the province being a long-held bailiwick of the Dutertes.
Then in Pangasinan, part of the so-called Solid North that has usually commanded votes for Robredo’s archrival former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., some 76,000 Kakampinks still made their way to her rally despite reports that officers of the Land Transportation Office supposedly blocked jeepneys ferrying the vice president’s supporters.
Robredo lost in these provinces in the 2016 vice presidential race by wide margins. Marcos took Rizal and Pangasinan with 435,471 and 130,796 votes, respectively, while then Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano won in Davao del Norte with 216,058 votes.
Robredo only garnered 285,417 votes in Rizal, 42,684 in Davao del Norte and 265,016 votes in Pangasinan.
But for the Robredo campaign, the massive turnout at rallies show that the momentum in the race to Malacañang is with them, as reflected in her nine-point leap in the latest Pulse Asia survey.
Adding to that are key endorsements Robredo has clinched, including that of former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez who holds sway in Davao del Norte and of the influential De Venecia family in Pangasinan.
But they still have their work cut out for them as Marcos still enjoys a 32-point lead over Robredo, despite having suffered a four-point dip in the polls.
Still, the vice president is undeterred, confident that she can pull off what would be one of the greatest upsets in Philippine electoral history.
“It’s not over until it’s over,” she told reporters in Dagupan City.
- Latest
- Trending
