‘Otso Diretso’ bets reunite in Cebu
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2019 12:10:21 +0000
WITH only two weeks left to the midterm polls, the eight Senate candidates of the Otso Diretso opposition slate convened once again, this time, in the vote-rich province of Cebu.
The launching of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo’s anti-poverty flagship project Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City on Sunday brought the candidates together for the second time during the campaign period.
Former local government secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas 2nd and reelectionist Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino 4th were with veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc, former House deputy speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada 3rd , former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, and Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano.
The candidates also held a multisectoral dialogue with senior citizens, fisherfolk, women and civil society groups at the Taloot Argao Cebu Covered Court before the event.
Cebu is among the battleground in the elections, with an estimated 3.1 million registered voters.
The last time all the candidates were seen together in one province was in a campaign sortie on February 13 in Naga City, Camarines Sur, which is Robredo’s bailiwick.
“Our supporters here in Cebu have been very active. They always post on Facebook, they even print their own campaign collaterals, and they volunteer in caravans in the province…lack of resources really do not hinder them from anything,” Robredo said partly in Filipino.
Getting barely any support from local officials, the candidates stood firm in compensating with their strategy of establishing a “people’s campaign” and expressed hope in the remaining days of the campaign period.
“We knew beforehand that this will be a people’s campaign. It’s the people who will let the Otso Diretso candidates win,” Tañada told reporters.
“We understand the local officials. It’s not new to us that local officials would favor those under the administration because the country does not have a strong political party system. We will simply work twice as hard so that at the end of the day, the people know that we, the Otso Diretso, are the ones who will fight for them,” Alejano added.
Early this month, Roxas’ campaign manager, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, told The Manila Times that the Senate candidate would still likely join the opposition slate after his 20-day absence from the campaign to attend to his children with wife and broadcaster Korina Sanchez.
Roxas and Aquino placed 11th to 18th in the March 23 to 27 Pulse Asia Survey. Of the Otso Diretso bets, only the two garnered higher statistical chances of entering the “Magic 12,” with the rest of the candidates lagging behind between the 23rd and 44th, according to the pollster. GLEE JALEA
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