Bangued, Abra (CNN Philippines, March 9) — Bongbong Marcos has held an hour-long caravan around Abra capital Bangued on Wednesday morning, promising to build more roads in the province that gave him a huge-margin victory back in 2016 when he ran for vice president.
He won 89% of the province’s votes then, equivalent to a 105,000 vote-lead against eventual winner Vice President Leni Robredo who got a mere 4% of Abra’s votes.
The presidential candidate who was warmly welcomed by Marcos loyalists also inaugurated his provincial campaign headquarters (HQ) near the municipal plaza, with Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian of the Diocese of Bangued on hand to bless the place and pray over Marcos.
Days earlier the Marcos camp urged the Catholic clergy to refrain from ‘openly meddling’ in politics.
In a quick ambush interview after the said HQ’s blessing, Marcos shared what he feels about his chances of winning in the province come election day.
“Great! The people are so enthusiatic. I hope to do well here,” Marcos said.
Abra is part of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) which political analysts said is a region belonging to the Marcos family’s ‘Solid North’. In the said previous election, Marcos won all provinces in the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley (except Batanes), and Central Luzon sans Tarlac.
Security personnel did not allow journalists to ask more questions for Marcos as they escorted the presidential aspirant to his float en route to his campaign rally at Abra Sports Complex.
This rally coincided with the Abrenian Kawayan Festival as he was also invited as guest of honor by Bangued Mayor Dominic Valera.
The mayor claimed that Marcos can win 99% of the votes in his province in the May polls.
“Nabibilang na eh ‘yung hindi sasama sa amin. Nabibilang na ‘yung sa kanila eh, maski saan kayo magtanong dito.”
[Translation: Those who aren’t joining us are already counted. We know who’s voting who everywere you ask here.]
Roads, roads, roads
In his campaign speech, Marcos promised to build more roads in Abra under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure program if he wins the presidency.
“Ipagpatuloy po ‘yung infrastructure progam na sinimulan ni Pangulong Duterte, ang ‘Build Build Build’, ngunit palalawakin pa natin dito sa lalawigan ng Abra. Marami pong nakaplano na puwedeng ilagay na infrastructure na mga tulay, na mga kalsada upang mabuksan na ang ating probinsya para simulan na ang pag-unlad at pagpasigla ng ating ekonomiya,” he said.
[Translation: Let’s continue the infrastructure program that was started by President Duterte, the ‘Build, Build, Build’, but let’s expand this further in the province of Abra. There are lots of infrastructure that we’re planning to build such as bridges, roads so that we can open our province and jumpstart the progress and revitalization of our economy.]
Marcos, however, did not name any specific project that he plans to start or will continue to build in the Cordilleran province. He has been assuring President Rodrigo Duterte that he will continue the latter’s legacy programs.
Duterte, meanwhile, has not yet endorsed anyone among the candidates whom he feels worthy to succeed him as next chief executive.
For Abra Governor Joy Valera-Bernos, daughter of the Bangued mayor, Marcos should push the Dugong Bucay bridge project which connects areas that have been separated by the Lagben River in the western part of the landlocked province.
“Na-try namin maipasa ngayong (Duterte) administration ‘di lang napondohan. Siguro kapag nagkaron tayo ng chance na maka-request ulit kay BBM kapag presidente na siya, mapapagbigyan tayo dito,” she said.
[Translation: We tried to pass this during the Duterte administration but it wasn’t funded. That’s why if we get the chance to request again to BBM when he’s already the president, maybe our wish will be granted.]
Valera-Bernos is running for vice governor to give way to the gubernatorial aspirations of his father. She also said that their province will be more progressive with the help of Bongbong, citing the Don Mariano Marcos bridge project that was built during the Marcos Regime in 1974.
“‘Yung Don Mariano Marcos bridge (is) connecting 10 municipalities from Bangued town so malaking tulong yun. From that project palang alam namin na si BBM ang parang magbibigay pa rin sa amin ng progress dito sa Abra,” Bernos said.
[Translation: The Don Mariano Marcos bridge is connecting 10 municipalities from Bangued town so that’s a big help. From that project, we know that BBM will be the one who will give us progress here in Abra.]
Bongbong, in his speech, did not say if he has plans to dismantle the alleged private armed groups of local political clans.
Abra was earlier tagged by the Philippine National Police (PNP) as a ‘perennial’ election hotspot due to intense rivalries of political clans and election-related killings that marred the province in the past several polls.
The Commission on Elections has yet to release its list of election hotspots for the 2022 polls.
