Leni, Bongbong to court Ilonggos one last time

ILOILO – Presidential frontrunners former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo are returning to Iloilo on May 3 on the last week of the campaign period before the May 9 elections.

Mayor Jerry Treñas, a staunch supporter of Robredo, announced that she will have a caravan from the Iloilo Airport (in Cabatuan, Iloilo) starting at 9 a.m. towards Iloilo City.

Included in her route are Taft North (Mandurriao), El 98 going to the Jaro

Cathedral, Archbishop’s Palace, and Commission Civil Street.

“Mag bantay sa kalsada kag magsuksuk sang inyo pink para salubongon si VP Leni,” Treñas said. Pink is the campaign color of Robredo. The caravan will be followed by a house-to-house campaign that will start at the La Paz district plaza.

“Liboton ta tanan nga kabarangayan kag manuktok sa tanan nga panimalay,” said Treñas.

On Tuesday afternoon, Marcos will hold a “Miting de Avance Sama-sama Tungo sa Tagumpay” at the Guimbal Football Field in Guimbal, Iloilo.

He will be joined by his running mate Mayor Sara Duterte of Davao City and senatorial candidates reelectionist Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, former Public Works and Highways secretary Mark Villar, former senator Loren Legarda, former Palace spokesman Harry Roque, former senator Jinggoy Estrada, former Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, reelectionist Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, and former

Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista.

Marcos will be bringing entertainers Toni Gonzaga, Aegis band, Andre E. and Pinoy rock band Plethora, among others.

Iloilo province (including Iloilo City) is the eighth vote- rich areas in the Philippines with a total of 1,628,752 registered voters for the May 9 elections.

Data from the Commission on Elections ( Comelec) showed Iloilo province with 1,298,282 registered voters while Iloilo City has 330,470.

Western Visayas where the city and province of Iloilo belong has more than five million eligible-to-vote residents. Robredo and Marcos camps had their initial rallies in Iloilo in February.

The Leni- Kiko People’s Rally at the Iloilo Sports Complex on Feb. 25 gathered a crowd estimated at 40,000 – the very first biggest gathering of Robredo’s supporters that time.

A day before that, Marcos held a rally at the Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo football field where more or less 15,000 people gathered./PN