Campaign begins for senatorial, party-list bets
Metro Manila, Philippines - The race to the May 12 elections began on Tuesday, Feb. 11, as senatorial and party-list candidates held rallies and campaigned house-to-house.
Administration bets
The administration's Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (Alliance for a New Philippines), was at Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, the Marcos family’s home province.
Eight out of the 12 candidates were present. Senators Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Bong Revilla, and Lito Lapid skipped the campaign launch.
The slate also includes ex-Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Sen. Francis Tolentino, former lawmakers Tito Sotto, Ping Lacson, and Manny Pacquiao, and House members Erwin Tulfo and Camille Villar.
The program was expected to begin at 6 p.m.
Opposition, progressives
On Tuesday morning, former senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino attended mass at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City with former Vice President Leni Robredo.
The two held separate house-to-house visits.
Pangilinan and Aquino began the campaign in vote-rich Cavite at 4 p.m. with Robredo and Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
Meanwhile, the Makabayan party-list coalition gathered at the Kartilya ng Katipunan in Maynila ahead of individual activities.
ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro visited teachers at the Philippine Normal University, while Danilo Ramos of a farmer’s group, was joined by his fellows in Malolos, Bulacan.
Meanwhile, senatorial aspirant and Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas urged the Senate to immediately begin proceedings for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Hindi na hintayin iyong SONA ng pangulo para lang mag-secure ng boto. Hindi po iyan ang panawagan ng taumbayan,” she said in an interview.
[Translation: Don't wait for the president's State of the Nation Address just to secure votes. That is not the call of the people.]
Duterte ally, other candidates
On the other hand, Sen. Bato dela Rosa visited Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Quezon City.
PDP-Laban, the lawmaker’s party, will kick off its campaign on Thursday, Feb 13.
In a chance interview, Dela Rosa said he plans to woo voters using the controversial Oplan Tokhang method in the deadly drug war: knocking on doors.
Meanwhile, other candidates also held separate activities on Tuesday. Broadcaster Ben Tulfo kicked off his campaign in Quezon City, while Sonny Matula attended mass at Quiapo Church in Manila.
This story will be updated.
