BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA, MERRIANE GRACE EREÑETA and PRINCE GOLEZ, Manila Reporter
ILOILO City – In a show of force, the Liberal Party turned the Freedom Grandstand and the streets around it into a sea of supporters donning yellow shirts, waving yellow fans and ribbons as Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo kicked off their nationwide “matuwid na daan” election campaign.
Reject the straight path and the country will backslide to its “sick man of Asia” state, warned President Benigno Aquino yesterday as he proclaimed Roxas and Robredo early last night under a shower of yellow confetti.
The Iloilo City Police Office’s Police Precinct 1 estimated the crowd at 30,000.
Earlier in the day, Aquino also led a kickoff rally for Roxas, Robredo and the LP’s candidates for senator at the jam-packed Villareal Stadium in Roxas City.
Addressing the crowd in Filipino, Aquino went all-out for Roxas who gave way to him in the 2010 presidential election. He described Roxas the most ready to become his successor among other presidential aspirants, has integrity, not corrupt, and will continue what his administration has accomplished these past six years.
“Alam din ng ating mga katunggali kung sino ang may ‘K’ – may kakayahan, may konsensya, may katapatan, may kalinga’t pagmamahal sa kapwa, at siyempre may Korina,” the President said, to the delight of Roxas’ province-mates.
The well-organized program and turnout of supporters in Iloilo and Capiz showed the strength of the LP and the capability of its political machinery to prop up the presidential bid of Roxas, who has yet to top surveys conducted since last year.
Ilonggo Senate president Franklin Drilon, who is seeking reelection, expressed confidence that a solid Ilonggo support will make Roxas unbeatable.
REFERENDUM ON ‘MATUWID NA DAAN’
President Aquino said the election in May is a referendum of his administration’s performance and urged Western Visayans to sustain the momentum that the country has achieved by supporting Roxas and Robredo.
“Kayo po ang magdedesisyon kung ang pagbabagong ating tinatamasa ay magiging permanente, o tatanawin lang bilang panandaliang bakasyon sa isang mahabang kasaysayan ng laganap na katiwalian at kahirapan,” said the President.
He then reminded Western Visayans of Roxas’ competence, citing the latter’s work as secretary of the Department of Interior Local Government and Department of Trade and Industry, and as congressman and senator.
“Ito nga pong tambalang Mar-Leni ang mga kandidatong walang papogi, walang drama, walang gimik, kundi trabaho lang. Sa kanilang dalawa, di natin kailangang makarinig ng matitinding pangako, dahil matagal na pong ginagawa ni Mar at Leni ang pagsisilbi, lalo na sa pinakanangangailangan,” said the President.
Robredo, congresswoman of Camarines Sur, is the lawyer-wife of the late Local Government secretary Jesse Robredo who died in a plane crash in 2012 while serving the Aquino Cabinet.
Aquino reminded Western Visayans that, “ang Pilipinas ngayon, isa na sa may pinakamabilis na paglago ng ekonomiya sa buong mundo? Tama ba na ang 7.7 milyon nating kababayan ay naiangat na sa kahirapan? Tama ba na ang mga imprastrukturang kay tagal ninyong inabangan dito sa Capiz at sa ibang bahagi ng bansa, ay sunod-sunod nang naisasakatuparan?”
Roxas and Robredo will sustain these and do more, said the President.
Among others, Roxas was able to successfully fight crime, especially in the National Capital Region when he implemented Oplan Lambat Sibat, said the President.
The country’s chief executive also highlighted Roxas’ disaster relief work for victims of typhoon “Ruby” in Eastern Samar last year.
“Kung ang mga kalaban niya nangangako pa lang, itong si Mar matagal nang nagtatrabaho, kasa-kasama natin sa pagsusulong ng transpormasyon sa lipunan. Kung ‘yung iba wagas mambola, si Mar marami nang nagawa at nireporma,” said Aquino.
FREEDOM FROM HUNGER
Roxas said his agenda is focused on the success of every Filipino, that is, free them from fear and hunger.
He said his administration will generate more jobs, most especially in the manufacturing sector.
“Aakitin natin ang mga mamumuhunan hindi lang sa Manila kundi sa buong Pilipinas. Dito sila magpapatayo ng kanilang mga pagawaan,” said Roxas.
He also vowed to sustain the industries that have been employing thousands of young Filipinos – the business process outsourcing industry and tourism.
In the area of agriculture, Roxas vowed to lead a “BukidRebolusyon” that will help farmers and fishermen improve their lives and income by providing them with “murang pautang” (affordable credit), more infrastructures for the fast delivery of products from farms to markets, and more post-harvest facilities like threshers and dryers, among others.
Roxas also presented his plan on low-cost housing, wider health services through PhilHealth, disaster preparedness and reliable law enforcement.
“Tiyak ka na kapag may kalamidad, may tatakbuhan tayong gobyerno na hindi bibitiw sa atin hanggang makabangon tayo muli. Katiyakan na kapag mayroong inaapi at nag-abuso sa kapwa, mayroong pulis at sistema ng katarungan nahuhuli, iimbestiga, maglilitis at kakalaboso sa mga salarin at masasamang loob. Yan ang katiyakan sa daang matuwid,” said Roxas.
He also vowed to continue the conditional cash transfer program for the poor.
“Malayo na ang narrating natin at mas malayo pa ang mararating natin kung patuloy tayo sa daang matuwid,” said Roxas.
FULL FORCE
Also present in the Iloilo and Capiz sorties of the LP standard bearers yesterday were their senatorial candidates — Senate President Franklin Drilon, Sen. TJ Guingona, Sen. Ralph Recto, former senator Francis Pangilinan, former Justice secretary Leila de Lima, former Energy secretary Jericho Petilla, former congresswoman Risa Hontiveros, former secretary Joel Villanueva of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, former Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority general manager Mark Lapid, Cong. Cris Paez, and Yna Ambolodto.
Former senator Panfilo Lacson failed to make it in yesterday’s rally./PN