Thousands of Ilonggo voters welcomed Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) candidates even if only four of its 13 senatorial bets attended the campaign rally in Iloilo.
Among the senatorial candidates present at the rally held at the City of Passi Arena, were reelectionists Cynthia Villar and Joseph Victor Ejercito, former senator Pia Cayetano, and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos.
Iloilo gubernatorial aspirant and 4th District Rep. Ferjenel Biron hosted the rally.
HNP chairperson Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte was also unable to attend due to prior commitments, Biron said.
Biron added that the scheduled rally pushed through even without the presence of the complete HNP senatorial line-up.
“Bong Revilla (former senator Ramon Revilla Jr.) was represented by his wife Lani (Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado) while General Bato (former Philippine National Police chief Bato dela Rosa) was represented by his son,” he said.
The representatives of the absent HNP bets were also unable to deliver their messages as the group immediately headed to Koronadal City, South Cotabato for a campaign rally of the Partido ng Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) with President Rodrigo Duterte scheduled on the same day.
Villar, as chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, continued her oversight functions in provinces affected by El Niño.
“There are provinces that were already declared under state of calamity and therefore can use their calamity funds,” the seasoned legislator said.
“Provinces declared under state of calamity can use their calamity funds.”
The veteran lawmaker assured that the Department of Agriculture (DA) already prepared for El Niño and distributed seedlings that can withstand dry condition.
“DA distributed seedlings that can withstand dry condition.”
“Because there are crops that can withstand El Niño and the DA encourages farmers to plant those for them to have harvest in spite of El Niño,” the lady senator said.
Marcos, on the other hand, lauded the Pintados de Passi Festival in Iloilo’s component city of Passi, the Dinagyang Festival, and the Iloilo River Esplanade.
If elected senator, Marcos said she would apply a “different model” in tourism, which will focus on community development. She said people should benefit in tourism in a way that they will be the ones who will supply food and services to tourists.
“I don’t want that big hotels and resorts are the only ones gaining from tourism,” she said.
Cayetano and Ejercito continued to push for the programs concerning women and healthcare, respectively.
Other HNP Senate bets are reelectionists Sonny Angara and Koko Pimentel III, former senator Jinggoy Estrada, Maguindanao 2nd District Rep. Dong Mangudadatu, journalist Jiggy Manicad, former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Bong Go, and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino.
