Presidentiables resume campaigns (12:07 p.m.)

MANILA -- With only five weeks before election day, presidential candidates have resumed campaigning after taking a Lenten break last week.

After celebrating Easter in a Baptist church in IloIlo City on Sunday, environmentalist Nicanor Perlas continues his Visayan sortie by moving to nearby Negros island on Monday, where he is set to have a caravan around Bacolod City and a forum on his agenda for the country’s top sugar producer.

Administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro is in Tabaco City in Albay for a grand-rally organized by Lakas-Kampi-CMD stalwart Representative Edcel Lagman and is scheduled to appear before the regional convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines at 2 p.m. and celebrate the annual Magayon Festival at 3 p.m.

Tele-evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva will focus his campaign in Northern Mindanao for a three-day trip to Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, and Iligan City starting April 6.

Villanueva will also hold a miting de avance on Wednesday in an unspecified location in Cagayan de Oro.

Liberal Party presidential bet Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino is in Bulacan for a motorcade around the province and will be capped off by a political rally in Vedasto Gym in Barangay Salacot, San Miguel.

Former President Joseph Estrada will be back Monday afternoon after celebrating Easter with the Filipino community in Hong Kong where he chided the Arroyo administration for the apparent lack of enough support given to eight million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Ang Kapatiran standard-bearer JC De los Reyes will have a two-day tour in vote-rich Central Luzon from April 6-7 on the following areas: Bulacan, Pampanga, and Tarlac.

As of posting time Monday, Bagumbayan bet Senator Richard Gordon, Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Senator Manny Villar, and independent candidate Senator Jamby Madrigal have yet to make announcements on their campaign schedules. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)