Mother and daughter cheer for the Robredo-Panglinan tandem during a rally in Butuan City on Wednesday, 9 March 2022. MindaNews photo by IVY MARIE MANGADLAO
BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews / 10 March) – The two-day campaign in the Caraga region of presidential hopeful Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate Sen Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan ended with a bang on Wednesday night as pink-clad supporters spilled over from the open grounds of Guingona Park here.
Organizers said they expected to gather a crowd of at most 7,000 but were amazed to see around 10,000 local residents and people from other provinces of Caraga region come to the event.
Supporters of the Robredo-Kiko Pangilinan tandem started to gather as early as 9 a.m. packing the grounds of Guingona Park even before the rally’s scheduled start at 4 p.m.
Senatorial candidates Teddy Baguilat, Chel Diokno, Dick Gordon, Alex Lacson and Sonny Matula came to the rally.
Rep. Lawrence Fortun, of the 1st District Representative of Agusan del Norte introduced Robredo to the crowd.
Fortun has earlier expressed his support for Robredo, calling her the best choice for president.
“Robredo is the best choice for the presidency not only because we share several advocacies but also because I witnessed firsthand how hard she worked; her humility and how modest she was when we worked together during the 16th Congress in the House of Representatives,” said Fortun, recalling the three years from 2013 when Robredo served at the House of Representatives before running for vice president in the 2016 elections.
Before the tandem arrived at the rally venue, local artists performed onstage.
Butuan’s top performer, Voice of the Philippines Season 2 winner Jason Dy, joined other Butuanon talents on stage, including 2019 Idol Philippines 3rd place winner and 2017 Michael Bolton’s Bolt of Talent champion Lance Busa, and Idol Philippines contender Miguel Odron.
Another group that performed was rising indie band LaLuna which has expressed support to Robredo and Pangilinan’s candidacies.
Rivermaya concluded the event with their hit song Liwanag sa Dilim (Light in the Dark), which has become an anthem for fans of Robredo and Pangilinan.
Robredo and Pangilinan kicked off their campaign in Caraga by meeting with their supporters in a jam-packed gymnasium in Bislig City in Surigao del Sur, on Wednesday.
Tandag City in Surigao del Sur was the second stop of the tandem where bishops and ministers from different Christian denominations gathered at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral.
Rivermaya band members urge the crowd at the Guingona Park in Butuan City to help in the campaign for Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan and to talk to the undecided to get them to vote for the tandem and their senatorial slate. MindaNews photo by IVY MARIE MANGADLAO
Catholic Bishop Raul Dael of the Diocese of Tandag officiated a mass for them.
The group then went to Tandag’s sports complex for a brief gathering with supporters.
In honor of International Women’s Day, Robredo graced the Provincial Women’s Summit at Hotel Tavern before the evening rally in Surigao City to end the first day of the campaign in the region.
On Wednesday morning, Robredo went to Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur and then Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte after which she was expected to have a private audience with Butuan City Bishop Cosme Almedilla.
Prior to the tandem’s arrival at the rally venue, a town hall meeting was organized at the function hall of Father Saturnino Urios University. The transportation sector, medical personnel, student organizations, barangay chairs, and the media attended. Representatives from these groups were given the opportunity to throw questions at Robredo.
Robredo lost in Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Island during the 2016 elections to former senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Ferdinand Marcos Jr, respectively. But she won in the rest of the Caraga region. (Ivy Marie Mangadlao/MindaNews)
