Alyansa bets know PH problems, they hail from different areas — Marcos
STILL SIBS, AFTER ALL A brief scene during Tuesday’s Alyansa rally in Laoag City signaling that all is well between Sen. Imee Marcos and her brother, the President.—MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured voters in Negros Oriental that Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates understand the country’s problems, saying they represent different areas across the archipelago.
In his speech during Alyansa’s rally in Dumaguete City, Marcos noted that the different candidates have roots to provinces in Visayas and Mindanao — and that they are not confined to Metro Manila and regional centers only.
“Pagdating naman sa kung saan sila po nanggaling, dahil po, eh siyempre hindi natin masisisi ang ibang tao, (baka sabihin) ‘eh papaano ‘yan lahat naman ng mga sikat na ‘yan galing lahat sa Maynila ‘yan, hindi nila alam ang mga pangyayari dito sa amin, sa lugar namin’,” Marcos said.
(When it comes to where our candidates come from, of course we cannot blame other people as they might say that ‘how will these famous people know what is happening in our areas when they all hail from Manila.)
“Eh hindi po tama ‘yon, hindi po totoo ‘yon, dahil po eh sila ay nanggaling sa buong lawak ng Pilipinas,” he added.
(But that’s not correct, that’s not true, because they all come from different areas in the Philippines.)
Marcos initially mentioned former senator Manny Pacquiao, who hails from Sarangani and Bukidnon, and then noted that other candidates — former Senate president Vicente Sotto III, ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, and Marcos’ sister, Senator Imee Marcos — also have ties to the different areas.
“Kilala niyo naman ang ating kinahahangaan, si Senator Manny Pacquiao, siya po galing Bukidnon, Sarangani, at sa GenSan (General Santos). Si Erwin Tulfo naman ay lumaki siya sa Davao Oriental, Dabawenyo po siya at saka lumaki siya sa Sulu, dahil do’n po nadestino ang kanyang ama na naging bayani ng Pilipinas,” he said.
(You know our idol, Senator Manny Pacquiao, he comes from Bukidnon, Sarangani, and GenSan (General Santos). Erwin Tulfo on the other hand grew up in Davao Oriental, he hails from Davao, and also Sulu, when his father who became a hero for the Philippines became a hero.)
“Kung maalala po ninyo, baka hindi niyo po naaalala na eh matagal na rin ‘yon, ang unang Senator (Vicente) Sotto po ay galing naman sa Cebu. Kaya’t ‘yong mga ninuno po ng ating butihing Tito Sen, ang kanyang mga ninuno ay galing po sa Cebu. At alam naman po ninyo, para mailapit naman natin sa inyo, ang ina namin ni Imee ay Waray, 100 percent Waray po ang aming ina kaya naintindihan po natin, naranasan po natin ang buhay ng mga tiga doon po,” he added.
(If you could remember, because that’s a long time ago, the first Senator (Vicente) Sotto came from Cebu. That’s why our Tito Sen — that’s what we call him — has ancestors from Cebu. We also know, to bring the discussions closer to home, that my and Senator Imee’s mother is 100 percent Waray, so we understand the hardships experienced by the people there.)
The President also told the crowd that House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar’s lineage can be traced to the Ilonggo people of Panay and Negros islands
“At baka hindi niyo po alam na mga ninuno ni Camille Villar ay mga Ilonggo. Kaya naman ay meron siyang special spot sa kanyang puso para sa mga Ilonggo. Kaya naman asahan po ninyo hindi kayo makakalimutan kapag nandyan na si Senator Camille Villar,” Marcos said.
(And maybe you do not know, Camille Villar’s ancestors are Ilonggo. That’s why she has a special spot in her heart for the Ilonggo people. You can expect that if Senator Camille Villar is in the Senate, she would not forget you.)
Aside from the four candidates mentioned by Marcos, the following are running under the Alyansa’s banner:
- Former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos
- Makati City Mayor Abby Binay
- Senator Pia Cayetano
- Senator Lito Lapid
- Former Senator Panfilo Lacson
- Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
- Senator Francis Tolentino (seeking re-election)
Most of the Alyansa bets have ranked fairly good in the surveys, with most of the candidates entering the winner’s circle or the Top 12. Reports from Pulse Asia released last February 10 showed that 10 of the administration bets are on the top 14 slots, with Tulfo leading the way at the first spot.
READ: Rep. Tulfo, 9 others from admin slate in Senate ‘Magic 12’ – Pulse Asia
Another survey, this time from OCTA Research, showed that 11 of the top 14 candidates belong to Alyansa.
