A mammoth crowd of 80,000 attended the “Isigaw Mo, Isko!” concert rally on Sunday as Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate Isko Moreno Domagoso continue to go directly to the people like what he did in his two-day provincial sortie in Cebu.
As early as 2pm, some 25,000 people were already assembled along the stretch of T.M. Kalaw Street at the corner of Maria Orosa where the huge stage was located for the concert of several artists and bands who volunteered their services for free.
The “Isigaw Mo, Isko!” concert rally was led by singer-musician Jimmy Bondoc, who was the main organizer of the event that saw big-name entertainers such as Luke Mijares, Aia De Leon of Imago, Shamrock, South Border, Soapdish, This Band and Nina.
Between 6 pm to 7 pm, the crowd ballooned to 65,000 and peaked at 80,000 when Moreno was already on the stage talking directly to the people in his usual question-and-answer format similar to what he did in past town hall meetings in the provinces.
“How are you? We are not going to back out! The battle continues! What are you shouting?” Moreno shouted as the fired-up crowd began chanting his name “Isko! Isko! Isko! ”
In Cebu province, back-to-back concert rallies were also held in Lapu-Lapu City on Friday where 35,000 Cebuanos trooped to the Mactan Shrine where the “Bilis Kilos Iskoncert-Rally” was held with Mocha Uson and Moreno’s actor-entertainer son Joaquin Domagoso leading the list of bands and entertainers that included J-Blaque, MakII, RKTeq, Ruzz Furio, Kyle Zagado, RjayBulls, Freshe Christine, Super Renan, Jeofre C and Richie Wagas. Rey E. Requejo
This was followed by another free concert on Saturday at the Toledo City Sports Center parking lot attended by 20,000 people topbilled by local Cebuano bands like Missing Filemon, Range 999, Aggressive Audio, Oh! Caraga, Kurt Fick, Jerika Teodorico, Jacky Chang and Emping.
Both Cebu concert-rallies was organized by the group of Cebu 3rd District Congressman and Deputy Speaker Pablo John “PJ” Garcia, who has directly endorsed Moreno as his presidential candidate.
In an ambush interview on the sideline of the “Isigaw Mo, Isko” concert-rally, Moreno admitted that he has been overwhelmed by the kind of support given him by people from all walks of life during his campaign rallies that further strengthened his resolve in his presidential campaign.
“But then again, we continue to reach as many kilometers as much as possible like what happened in Cebu yesterday and the other day, wow it seems like everywhere we go we are overwhelmed because if you look at the numbers the way you’re asking me about those data being presented to the general public hardly reflects the real situation down the road. And as you all know, what we’re seeing is a group of thousand, a group of hundreds or tens of thousands of people are unique individuals in a different geography,” Moreno told reporters.
The 47-year-old presidential candidate stated in recent interviews that the tens of thousands of people that he directly met and shook hands within various provincial sorties do not jibe with pre-election
survey results made by major polling firms that tend to show his numbers at a far third from the frontrunner.
The Manila city mayor also admitted that with the elections fast approaching, he is feeling tense as one will never know what’s going to be the result of the polls until the final vote has been counted.
“So, it means that the supporters don’t carry and move, these are unique people and we’re very happy that Samira Gutoc, John Castriciones, Carl Balita, Jopet, Doc Willie and Mocha overwhelmed us like wow,” Moreno said.
Moreno described the 80,000 crowd in the Manila concert-rally as 80 percent coming from Metro Manila and the remaining 20 percent from as far as Central Luzon and Southern Luzon where the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet is faring well in surveys.
“Today Sunday, what you saw here is about 80% of that is from Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Luzon volunteers and supporters. The good thing about it is they don’t have the cost so it’s like it’s a family day after 2 years of lockdown, of uncertainty. So it’s like unwind so this is a refresher in their hearts and minds and as you heard I asked them, we can rest, they said the fight will continue. So funny so that is gonna happen in the next 29 days we will continue what we’re doing to go directly to the people,” Moreno explained.
Moreno said the mammoth crowd in Manila is similar to what he experienced during recent campaign sorties in the Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay) and Cebu province. He said is also looking forward to visiting more provinces and cities in the coming days and weeks as they continue to go around Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon.
“The one in Lapu-Lapu City that surprised me even though the needle when you dropped it wouldn’t fit and then it rained again in Toledo, so the people didn’t leave either. So, we were overwhelmed. So, what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna continue to reach certain geography to reach as many people as possible and go straight to the people” Moreno said.
Moreno told reporters that the Manila concert-rally provided him the opportunity to be with his family so the people can see for themselves how ordinary and normal they are. Moreno’s wife Dynee, daughter Frances and son Joaquin are actively campaigning for Moreno.
“Of course, you as a citizen and at least get to know my children, how normal they are, look at them. And it is also important for the people to see that my family members are not in the government, not officially, perhaps for purposes of being sensitive to you being a citizen that we will not abuse the opportunity given to us to have fun with our family so now officially you already know who the members of the family are. I have 5 kids and one wife,” Moreno said.
Thanks but no thanks: Atienza rejects Lacson counter-offer Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News Posted at Apr 11 2022 12:40 PM | Updated as of Apr 11 2022 12:41 PM
PROMDI vice presidential aspirant Lito Atienza rejected Monday Senator Panfilo Lacson’s “counter-offer” made last week to have Senate President Vicente Sotto III as Team Pacquiao and Lacson-Sotto tandem’s “common candidate.”
Lacson, in a news conference last Saturday, issued an open invitation to Pacquiao to attend the Lacson-Sotto tandem’s event in Quezon Memorial Circle, so they could both raise the hand of Sotto as their common candidate.
Lacson says ‘willing to share’ Sotto as VP with Pacquiao Atienza, who currently sits as House Deputy Speaker, said Lacson’s offer was “totally out of context.”
“That’s not the idea. That’s totally out of context. Kasi the idea is not just to withdraw but to disengage from Sotto from his earlier commitment, thereby, shifting structures. Magkakaroon ng bagong tandem, ‘yung tandem will be Pacquiao-Sotto,” Atienza stressed.
“The affair between me and Ping is done. Kung hindi siya magi-step back, eh di walang vacancy,” he added.
Atienza maintained Lacson should withdraw from the presidential race in favor of Pacquiao and he will bow out of the vice presidential race in favor of Sotto.
“We would like to strengthen the opposition. Thereby providing an alternative to our electorate,” he said.
As he added: “Let’s stop at that. Hindi siya (Lacson) magba-backout, okay… With that idea of Ping, there’ll be no movement. You’ll be stuck. It will strengthen Bongbong Marcos… Thank you, but no, thank you. Thanks but no, thanks”
A status quo scenario Atienza believes, will only “strengthen Marcos.”
The same scenario will happen if Pacquiao withdraws and nobody moves to change a new structure of partnership, the congressman said.
In defense of Pacquiao, Atienza said that various surveys coming out are “mere propaganda,” adding that their internal survey on the other hand, show Pacquiao trailing behind Marcos.
“Surveys propaganda lang yan eh. Accept it. The earlier we accept it, we will be able to reform it. Surveys are now exploited by the wealthy candidates, paying a lot of money to their own surveys, disjointed and distorted showing themselves in the lead,” he said.
Atienza meantime clarified that he is not forcing Lacson to withdraw but is only suggesting such move to hopefully unify the forces against Marcos.
But with such decision, Atienza said he will just continue his vice presidential bid, maximizing the last stretch of the campaign period either through virtual and face-to-face campaigning.
“Definitely not, not withdrawal from me too. And, as Manny (Pacquiao) puts it, I’ll proceed with the campaign. And let’s campaign with our limitations, fine. Hindi ka makaikot sa bansa pero naiintindihan ng taumbayan yan. If they like you, they’ll vote you. If God wills it, we will win,” Atienza said.
For Atienza, having Sotto as Lacson and Sotto’s common candidate will not also work against survey vice presidential frontrunner Sara Duterte.
Atienza meantime told the public to be very vigilant come election day, given the scenario that major parts of the country will experience power interruption as Filipinos vote, and count their votes.
“One brownout, one brownout would do it. Change the results. And I don’t know if people would take it… If it (brownout) happens, it means they (government) allows it,” he said.
The vote of overseas Filipino voters who Atienza called as “intelligent voters” must also be protected, the VP bet said.
Such possible scenario should be immediately addressed by the government to prevent it from happening.
“They would probably monkey around with the OFW votes,” he claimed