At least five reelectionist and two former senators kicked off their campaign in Camarines Sur under the slate of independent presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo.
Former senators JV Ejercito and Loren Legarda, on the other hand, began their campaign in their hometowns in San Juan City and Antique province, respectively.
In the Bicol region, the five reelectionist senators were Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima, who are officially part of the Robredo slate, as well as guest candidates Joel Villanueva, Richard Gordon, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Two former senators were also in Camarines Sur: Antonio Trillanes IV as well as guest candidate Gov. Francis Escudero.
De Lima, who has been in jail over drug charges since 2017, relied on a representative for her campaign.
“Given my situation as PDL [Person Deprived of Liberty], my reelection bid is, in real and palpable terms, handicapped or disadvantaged. I am hopeful that through my surrogates and proxies during sorties, pre-recorded messages and dispatches, I will be able to communicate my thoughts and platform,” she said in a prepared statement.
In San Juan, Ejercito, who is backed by at least four presidential candidates, first attended a morning mass at the Pinaglabanan Church before starting his motorcade around his hometown.
Legarda, a former three -term Senator now House Deputy Speaker, started her campaign in her home province.
“My goal is to strengthen government interventions to give our people hope, especially the poorest of our poor, belonging to the most vulnerable and marginalized sectors of our country, an assurance that they are given priority and adequate assistance as we tread on the path towards sustainable and green pandemic recovery,” Legarda said.