Love filled the air in Pasig City’s business district as thousands braved the scorching summer heat to show support to the presidential bid of Leni Robredo, her running mate, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and their eight senatorial candidates Sunday.
Clad in all shades of pink, the predominantly middle-class crowd looked thrilled to be counted. And they were generous, too. Everybody was welcome to share food, water, and even rose-colored souvenir items.
Robredo – touched by all the help and generosity – from the stage on Emerald Avenue put up for the rally, loudly declared, “I love you, too!”
The thousands who couldn’t come close to the stage barely heard the heartfelt message. But the massive crowd that spilled to nearby streets still felt the loving vibes.
Lawyer Hardy Aquende, dean of Bicol University’s College of Law, said he witnessed multiple gatherings in past national elections, but they were nothing like the crowd he was seeing.
“A lot of people are volunteering and it’s not [o]rganized by the offices of the candidates. These are all private efforts of individuals and none of them are asking to be known by any of the candidates. It’s just that we all want a president who, to us, is the best for the country and the most qualified to be our next president,” he said.
Aquende, along with his neighbors at the AIC Gold Tower, organized to give away, for free, more than 34,000 food and drink packs to passers-by and attendees of the Pasig rally. These included packed pink and green Spanish pan de sal, pink crackers, bottled water, and cones of ice cream.
However, for Aquende, it was high time to remove their rose-colored glasses and acknowledge that much work still needs to be done, based on the results of recent election surveys where Robredo was a distant second to Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“The recent survey results have, I think, awakened the hearts of many people to come out and really speak up for what they and who they believe is the best candidate,” Aquende told VERA Files.
Lawyer Hardy Aquende and his volunteer team prepared over 34,000 snack packs with drinks for the campaign crowd.
Asked what he does to fight “fake news” against his presidential bet, Mark says he tries to practice “radikal na pagmamahal,” even if it’s hard. “Iniisip ko na lang palagi na gusto kong sumagot, pero kailangang magsimula doon sa intindihin na madami sa kanila, naloko na e.”
VERA Files Fact Check has reported that Leni Robredo is the most targeted candidate of disinformation pre-election season.
For 73-year-old Roy Jernales, dressed in a pink Elvis Presley get-up, he joined the Pasig crowd to tell people the kind of leader he believes the country needs.
“Kailangan ng ating bansa ang isang matino na lider, magandang track record at walang bahid ng corruption,” Jernales said.
(Our country needs a decent leader, one with a good track record, unblemished by corruption.)
Other attendees such as Kelly, who is a fan of Filipino boy group SB19, echoed the same sentiment, despite Robredo being the top target of election-related disinformation on social media sites.
“I think responsibility [natin] bilang Pilipino na maging responsible sa mga news na kino-consume ko and all so, kailangan alam ko sa sarili ko kung ano ‘yung tunay at hindi. Maliban doon sa mga fake news and propaganda na ‘yon, napaka-solid ng mga plataporma ni VP, napakaganda at napakalinis ng track record niya,” he said, adding that while his standard for music idols is high, he has an even higher bar for future leaders vying for a seat in the May polls.
(I think it’s my responsibility as a Filipino to be responsible for the news I consume, so I need to know for myself what is true and not. Despite all the fake news and propaganda, I see the solid platform of VP [Robredo], she has a good and clean track record.)
For cyclists and cycling advocate Mark, Robredo is, so far, the sole candidate who has bared concrete plans to make commuter-centric cities.
“She’s the only one who has said something – literally said ‘create streets for people and not cars.’ That makes an entire difference between this car-centric city and country that we’ve made kasi (because), for how many years, we’ve made highways and highways just for the rich but VP Leni actually cares for people, for the 88% who don’t own cars,” explained Mark.
Later in the evening, Robredo reiterated her plans to her sea of supporters.
“First order of action po natin ang lahat ng ito. Walang Pilipinong mapagkakaitan ng kalinga, dahil lang salat sila sa pera. Pagdating sa mga eskuwela, iaatas ko: Kung ligtas na, dapat magbukas na. Sa long-term horizon, ang edukasyon, bubuhusan natin ng pondo; itatama po natin ang lahat na mali, at titiyakin na walang batang maiiwan. Ipaglalaban ko po ang hanapbuhay para sa lahat. May sasahod na maayos sa bawat pamilya; ayuda para sa mga nawalan ng trabaho; trabahong magmumula sa gobyerno mismo,” said the presidential candidate.
(These are all first orders of action. No Filipino will be denied care, despite having scarce money. When it comes to education, I will order that when it’s safe, let’s open schools. In the long-term horizon of education, I will pour funds there. We will right all wrongs and make sure that there will be no one left behind. I will fight for your right to a livelihood. Every family will earn livable wages; aid will be given to all who lost their jobs, and government itself will provide jobs.)
Robredo appealed to her pink-clad supporters to engage beyond their social circles and humbly listen to people not yet convinced to vote for her and her ticket. Further, she urged them to understand where these skeptics are coming from – especially with the barrage of online disinformation.
“Kaya ba nating kumatok sa mga pintuan? Sa mga Zoom meetings natin o sa mga chat rooms, sa jeepney o sa mga Grab, sa tambayan o sa palengke, ibahagi natin ang ating mensahe; isadiwa ang pag-asa, pagkakaisa, at pagmamahal na pundasyon ng ating laban,” said Robredo.
(Can we knock on more doors? In our Zoom meetings, in chat rooms, in jeepneys and Grab [rides], in our hang-out spots, or markets, let’s share our message; let’s embody hope, unity, and love that are the foundation of our battle.)
“Imbitahin po natin ang mga wala pa dito: Kahit napakarami na natin ngayong gabi, marami pa din ang hindi natin kasama. Gusto po natin sa kanilang sabihin, welcome na welcome po kayo dito. Sana makita nila, masaya dito. Punong-puno ng pag-asa dito. Wala po akong duda, nakakahatak ng pag-asa ang pag-asa; at tiyak na tiyak ko, may pag-asa sa puso ng bawat Pilipino,” she said.
(Let’s invite those who are not here. While many gathered here tonight, there are still more people who are not with us. They need to know they are very welcome here. I hope they see this, that we are full of joy. It’s full of hope here. I firmly believe that hope begets more hope, and I am sure there is hope in the heart of every Filipino.)