In Marcos’ “Solid North,” pink gushes through the cracks.
Supporters of VP Leni Robredo await her on her hustings across Cagayan and Isabela. They're not here just to woo Marcos voters, but to see the “Kakampinks” who dare wade against the north’s political current.#VotePH
The odds are hugely against her here. Unlike her last stop, Negros Occidental (which she won by a landslide in 2016), she lost massively in Cagayan (53,877 votes to Marcos’ 574,467) and Isabela (86,862 to 504,463). #VotePH
The political families of Cagayan and Isabela have already endorsed Marcos for the 2022 elections. But her supporters here have been moving silently. In fact, it was her Isabela Kakampinks who first opposed the Comelec’s arbitrary removal of Leni-Kiko posters on private property.
Vice presidential aspirant Kiko Pangilinan now here. He is welcomed warmly by Kakampinks here. "57 days to go. Dapat tayo maging mapanuri. Minsan lamang sa anim na taon, tayo ang pinakamakapangyarihan sa lahat, dahil tayo ang magpapasiya kung sino ang iluluklok sa gobyerno."
Pangilinan: Tayo rin ang may kapangyarihan upang sabihin sino ang hindi karapat-dapat.
He now talks about his platform to end hunger by investing and modernizing agriculture here.
Pangilinan now takes a swipe at the elusive UniTeam, which has dodged almost all debates and interviews: Di ba dapat kapag manliligaw, humaharap? Kapag hindi humaharap ang manliligaw, anong iisipin? May tinatago, natatakot?
Noong niligawan ko si Sharon, humarap talaga ako.
Cagayanos remember that it was Vice President Leni Robredo who first responded to them at the height of Typhoon Ulysses last 2020. "Hindi taga-Norte pero ang pagmamahal sa Norte, hindi nawala."
newsinfo.inquirer.net/1360819/vp-rob…
Vice President Leni Robredo now here in Tuguegarao City. "Nagpapasalamat ako sa inyo dahil alam kong mahirap itong gawin, mahirap sumuporta ng presidential candidate."
Crowd replies: Hindi mahirap! Walang Solid North!
Robredo: Ano ba ang pinaglalaban natin ngayon? Pinaglalaban natin ang kinabukasan natin, ng ating bayan. At kapag kinabukasan ang pinaguusapan natin, hindi pinag-uusapan kung ang kandidato galing saan
Robredo also reminds them that even though she lost in this province by a landslide, she has always come through for Tuguegarao. "Noong binaha kayo dito, ako ang unang pumunta dito."
Khalil Hamdain, a volunteer for Bagets4Leni-Tuguegarao, notes how everyone here "is beginning to believe in the magic of good governance."
"Unti-unti nang nagigising ang taumbayan kung sino ang dapat iboto, sino ang karapat-dapat, sino ang may resibo."
Henrick Dulin, another volunteer who designed the shirts worn by Kakampinks here, noted how Robredo has always helped Cagayanons even as VP, especially at the height of Typhoon Ulysses last 2020. "Dapat i-share natin ang mga talents natin para sa kaniya."
From Tuguegarao City, Robredo-Pangilinan will visit their supporters here in Alcala, Cagayan. Hundreds of Kakampinks also here waiting for the opposition ticket.
Alcala Mayor Tin Antonio also here to welcome VP Leni Robredo and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan. Antonio, a lawyer, endorses the Leni-Kiko tandem and has been helping campaign for her ticket.
Antonio recalled how Robredo's office was the very first to respond to Cagayan's calls for help when it was submerged in flood during Typhoon Ulysses. "Alcala remembers," she said.
Antonio on the challenges of breaking the Solid North bloc vote: Iniisa-isa namin...we explain to them the good that VP Leni has done not just here in Alcala but in Cagayan and the whole Philippines.
Di kami umuurong, di kami nadidiscourage, kahit minsan hindi kami pinapansin.
Vice presidential candidate Kiko Pangilinan here at Alcala, regales crowd with anecdotes about wife Sharon Cuneta and actor Donny Pangilinan (his nephew). The mostly young crowd is thrilled.
Pangilinan had a good voting record here in Cagayan when he ran as senator.
Pangilinan: Kailangan natin unahin ang kapakanan ng magsasaka at mangingisda dahil kalahati ng ating populasyon ay nandito pa rin sa kanayunan at probinsya.
Bakit patuloy pa rin sila baon sa utang kahit sila ang nagpapakain satin? Hindi yun tama. Kailangan natin ayusin yan.
Pangilinan: Noong nililigawan ko si Sharon, hindi ko siya niligawan sa TikTok ng mga peke. Hindi ko siya niloko sa Facebook.
Ang mga kandidatong hindi humaharap, iboboto ba natin iyan?
Crowd shouts: Hindi!
Vice President Leni Robredo now takes the Alcala stage after an impassioned introduction by former Gov. Bong Antonio. "Buti pa dito sa Cagayan maraming nagI-I love you sa akin," she laughs.
Robredo shares she got nervous after her Bacolod grand rallies & wondered whether anybody would welcome her in her first Solid North barnstorm: "Alam kong mahirap para sa inyong pumunta dito, pero salamat dahil naglalakas loob kayo dito."
Crowd chants: Awan ti Solid North!
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