Vice President Leni Robredo continued her three-day visit to Samar and Leyte, meeting key leaders, holding dialogues with sectoral groups, and speaking at rallies on Tuesday.
It’s been raining off and on in the area, but tens of thousands of supporters are ready, rain or shine. On her schedule are visits to Maslog, Eastern Samar; Palo, Leyte; Naval, Biliran; Ormoc City; and Borongan, Easter Samar.
Jun Ocampo, head of the Robredo People’s Council (RPC) in Ormoc, spent most of the day before putting the final touches on a makeshift stage and topping off a muddy abandoned sugarcane field with gravel. He said they had to scramble for a venue after the date was first announced, since the Ormoc City Plaza they had originally planned to use suddenly became unavailable.
“Our event is called Piñakalig-on ang Ormoc,” he said, a reference to the small Ormoc pineapples which Ormocanons declare are the sweetest in the country.
Benedict Tugonon, one of the rally organizers, says at least 20,000 people from Ormoc and two other districts will join the rally to listen to Robredo, her running mate Kiko Pangilinan, and members of her senatorial slate.
Eric Aseo, regional political officer of Robredo’s national campaign team, says 10,000 people are expected to attend, a significant number for the area since it is very near Tacloban, Leyte, the hometown of Former First Lady Imelda Marcos, mother of presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
In Quezon City, toymaker company Cubao Customs recently gave Robredo a customized doll.
The Funko Pop-style vinyl toy recreated Robredo’s look in the CNN presidential debate from her hairstyle to her pink dress and matching heels.
Cubao Customs clarified that the Robredo doll is not for sale or reproduction, citing it will come out with another “limited edition originally designed collectible” for the public.
Pangilinan meanwhile said that a Robredo-Pangilinan administration will go after smugglers especially of agriculture products to protect Filipino farmers.
On Monday, the lawmaker said smuggling can be stopped if not for the “untouchables” who are being coddled by corrupt government officials.
Pangilinan is part of the continuing investigation by the Senate Committee of the Whole on vegetable smuggling.
In Catarman, thousands of Samareños attended the Northern Samar People’s Grand Rally entitled “Rayhak” held at the University of Eastern Philippines Monday night.
Former 1st District Representative Paul Daza, a long-time Liberal Party ally, welcomed Pangilinan to his hometown.
Pangilinan has consistently won in Northern Samar; he won in the 2001, 2007 and 2016 Senatorial elections. In 2016, he placed third in the province with 89,451 votes.