The administration’s Senate slate, Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, on Saturday pressed forward with its Mindanao campaign, undeterred by Davao Region’s reputation as a Duterte stronghold and the largest voting bloc in Mindanao.
Backed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Alyansa candidates are confident that voters will choose competence over political loyalty in the May midterm elections, betting on their track records and public service experience to secure public support.
Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III, a seasoned legislator and key figure in the Alyansa slate, insisted that the group has a strong presence in Mindanao and should not be dismissed as outsiders.
“I believe the Alyansa has good fighting chance here in Mindanao. I am not saying we will win or all of us will win, but I’m saying lahat kami malaki ang chances namin sa Mindanao,” Sotto told a press conference.
House Deputy Majority Leader and former Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo, a Davao native, dismissed the idea that Mindanao is exclusively under the control of the Duterte political dynasty, arguing that Alyansa candidates have also contributed significantly to the region’s development.
“We hope that the people will decide. Maybe we won’t be embarrassed by the Alliance, because the candidates you see on the posters are government officials or used to be government officials who also worked and performed during the time of former President Duterte,” Tulfo said.
Tulfo also said that voters should choose candidates based on performance, not merely on political branding.
“I am not ashamed to say that all the candidates here in the Alliance are competent. Your vote will not be wasted. It’s not only because they are known. It’s not only because they are sikat. Pakiusap ko lamang po sa mga taga-Davao, the whole of Mindanao, you vote for the performance, hindi po dahil sa apelyido, hindi po dahil sa pangalan,” he stressed.
Former Senator Manny Pacquiao dismissed concerns that Mindanao would be a tough battleground for Alyansa, saying the slate remains unfazed and focused on real change.
Pacquiao, a Mindanaoan icon, connected his personal struggles to his political mission and Alyansa’s advocacy.
Former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos underscored the importance of directly engaging Mindanao voters, seeing the campaign as an opportunity to introduce Alyansa to a wider audience.
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay admitted she may not have a strong base in Mindanao but believes earning votes beyond traditional strongholds is key.
Other Alyansa senatorial candidates include Senator Pia Cayetano, former Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Lito Lapid, Senator Imee Marcos, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Senator Francis Tolentino, and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar.