DASMARINAS, Cavite — Saving the best for last.
The transport group pushing the tandem of leading presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Nationalist People’s Coalition bet Tito Sotto for the top two elective posts of the land staged a motorcade in Cavite province that proved to be the longest, well-attended, and most-watched.
As it had to trudge through Aguinaldo Highway, the motorcade’s main convenor, Philippine Transport Monitor (PhilTraM), decided to cancel the participation of at least 20 tricycles, but this was instantly replaced by more than 30 riders that made the caravan all the more colorful.
Following a short interview by local media, PhilTraM national chairman Aoi Bautista blew the whistle signaling the start of the caravan at exactly 8:30 a.m. It snaked through Bacoor and Imus cities all the way to Dasmarinas City.
With the “MarSo” jingle blasting the airwaves all the way from Bacoor to Dasmarinas, motorists and bystanders couldn’t help but turn their heads and approvingly wave back at PhilTram leaders positioned inside the lead car.
In all, the motorcade lasted for almost one hour.
“Wow, grabe inabot tayo ng almost one hour. 45 minutes to be exact. Inorasan ko at masasabi ko this was the best motorcade we had in past few weeks at maganda ang reception ng tao,” Bautista said.
Previously, PhilTram also held similar motorcades in Sto. Tomas City, Tanauan City in Batangas and in Montalban, Rizal before the group brainstormed northern provinces, cities, and towns like Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, Isabela, Cagayan, Tuguegarao, and Aparri.
From Aparri, the group went down to Batac, Sarrat, Vigan, Candon, La Union, Dagupan and Villasis, Pangasinan, where “MarSo” received the strongest show of approval from townfolk who emptied PhilTram’s MarSo flaglets, flyers, tarpaulins, t-shirts, ballers, and everything they had.
Based on the public’s reception wherever the “MarSo” Team goes, it is safe to assume the BBM-Tito Sotto tandem is well accepted by the people up north, Bautista said.
“Naghihinayang lang sila bakit ngayon lang daw kami nagawi sa Norte. Anila dapat noon pa. Pero hindi pa naman daw huli ang lahat at tiyak na dadalhin pa rin nila ang tambalang Marcos-Sotto,” he narrated.
Marcos is running under the banner of UniTeam with presidential daughter Sara Duterte as running mate even as Sotto is the standard-bearer of the Nationalists People’s Coalition (NPC).
While Marcos enjoys a seemingly unassailable lead on all survey platforms, Sotto trails Duterte, but he still has a fighting chance in the vice-presidential race according to political pundits.
“Last hurrah na ng aming kampanya sa Cavite. Natutuwa naman ang grupo namin lalo’t talagang tanggap ng masa at mga botanteng Pinoy ang tambalang Marcos-Sotto na personal naming napatunayan sa aming pakikipag-usap sa mga mamayan sa aming paglilibot sa ilang mga lalawigan at lungsod sa bansa,” said Bautista.
His group was welcomed by an ecstatic crowd at the Commercial Plaza in Barangay Niog in Bacoor, Cavite.
“Dito sa Cavite, actually, nabuo namin ang PhilTraM three years ago, kaya historic din sa grupo itong aming kampanya higit ang maipanalo dito ang MarSo,” Bautista said.
“Noon pa man, prepared na namin yang Marcos-Sotto. Parehon naming gusto ang kanilang plataporma para sa masang Pinoy,” said Aling Terry Marcial who peddled ‘kakanin’.
“Si Senator Sotto malaking maitutulong yan kay BBM pag sila na namahala sa Malacanang. Pareho silang may puso para sa mahihirap lalo na sa transport sector,” said tricycle driver Odie Velasco.
Cavitenos are expected to deliver an estimated 800,000 votes as promised by Governor Junvic Remulla to Marcos.
As the running mate of Cavite stalwart Sen. Ping Lacson, Sotto’s candidacy also enjoys overwhelming support in the province, which PhilTraM tries to solidify in their own way.
‘Bongbong Marcos para Presidente, ating iboto ang numero siyete (7) Bise-presidente, Tito Sotto atin ng iboto ang numero nuwebe (9). Subok na sa serbisyo at makatao, bansang Pilipinas siguradong asenso. Panalo ang Pinoy sa tambalang Marcos-Sotto, pagdating ng Mayo sila ang ating iboto,” the MarSo jingle blasted on all throughout the whole stretch of the Caravan.
‘Nasorpresa kami at nagalak sa mainit na pagtanggap sa MarSo tandem sa Cavite. Hindi namin inaasahan na mauulit ang mainit na pagsalubong sa aming grupo katulad ng nangyari sa pagsuyod namin sa Region 1, 2 at 3,” said Bautista.