DRAWN by Senate candidates, One Cebu and Team Rama’s bigwigs, and show business personalities like the Gutierrezes, thousands turned up for the United Nationalist Alliance’s (UNA) proclamation rally in Cebu last night.
“This is encouraging because this is not yet our affair,” said Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella, who expects a bigger crowd for the Team Rama proclamation rally on March 29, when the official campaign period for local candidates opens.
At the start of the official campaign for the Senate and party-list elections yesterday, UNA attended a mass at the Cathedral and held motorcades to Talisay and Mandaue cities, before the rally.
Senate candidates took turns promising scholarships and feeding centers, more jobs and “a new brand of politics”. Between speeches, songs and at least two quick Gangnam Style performances entertained the crowd.
UNA’s leaders again expressed support for suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, with Vice President Jejomar Binay saying she was “denied due process and a victim of bad politics.”
Until September last year, Garcia was supposed to be part of the alliance’s lineup for the Senate. UNA has described her six-month suspension, which started last Dec. 19, as a ploy by the Aquino administration to install their allies in the Capitol in time for the May 13 elections.
Overwhelming
In Manila, the Liberal Party held its own proclamation rally in Plaza Miranda.
Team Rama’s Councilors Jose Daluz III and Eduardo Rama Jr., as well as congressional aspirant Aristotle Batuhan, estimated the crowd in Plaza Independencia at 50,000.
But Waterfront Police Station Chief Wildemar Tiu said that at 8 p.m., the crowd was at its peak at 80,000 to 90,000.
Team Rama will not argue with that.
“I’m very happy we did it here in Cebu. I consider Cebu our bailiwick and I am very proud to be among Cebuanos,” said former senator Miguel Zubiri, whose family hails from Bukidnon. He said in his speech that the P30-million pediatrics building at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), which he funded, will be launched next week.
“Ang ganda ng reception (The reception is good),” said Sen. Gregorio Honasan when the affair ended.
“It’s overwhelming,” said former president Joseph Estrada.
When the candidates were first introduced, the reception was lukewarm. The people first livened up when celebrity Raymond Gutierrez went on stage, followed by actress Sam Pinto. The crowd got livelier from then on, when some of the national candidates preceded their speech by throwing T-shirts to spectators.
Entertainment
Sen. Ernesto Maceda surprised the crowd with his impromptu dancing of the viral song, Gangnam Style. Estrada also danced Gangnam Style when the entire slate was formally proclaimed.
Ruffa Gutierrez and father Eddie Gutierrez entertained the crowd in separate song numbers. They were there in support of Annabelle Rama, who is running for Cebu City north district congresswoman.
Mayor Michael Rama welcomed the crowd to what he called “a momentous, historical occasion.”
Rama, Governor Garcia and Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu Province, third district) introduced the “tatlong hari” or three kings of UNA: Estrada, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Estrada.
Most of the candidates also tried to greet the people in broken Bisaya, save for Zubiri.
“Akong pangandoy nga ako inyong himoon nga inahan sa Senado (My dream is that you will
make me your mother in the Senate),” said Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco. She did not fail to mention that she is the mother of actress and bemedalled equestrienne Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski and celebrity chef Chynna.
As always in an election rally, promises were offered to the people.
Promises
The vice president’s daughter, Nancy Binay, promised more free vaccinations while JV Ejercito said he will improve state colleges.
UNA was supposed to have three guest candidates—Grace Poe-Llamanzares, Loren Legarda and Francisco “Chiz” Escudero, who are also guest candidates of the LP.
Llamanzares sent representatives in actress Sheryl Cruz and son Brian Llamanzares, and Legarda sent her father, Tony, but Escudero did not have a representative in the
proclamation rally. His tarpaulin was also not onstage.
Traffic built up on M.J. Cuenco Ave. up to Legaspi St. but private motorists were still allowed to pass, as the rally proceeded.
The roads were closed at 5:30 p.m. and some vehicles were diverted to ease the flow.
Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el Jr., acting director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said about 25,000 people joined yesterday’s proclamation rally. His was the most conservative estimate.
As of 8 last night, he said there were no untoward incidents during the opening salvo, the first major political event in Cebu for this year’s elections.
Governor Garcia’s suspension was one of the repeated themes.
“If the rule of law is violated, the rule of the people will set you free,” said Estrada.
“When the illegal suspension order was handed down, the three kings immediately came to show their support,” said Garcia, recalling the initial days of her suspension. She said the support has grown stronger.
Ganged up
Vice President Binay and former president Estrada said they, too, suffered the same situation Garcia is going through. Binay referred to his suspension when he was mayor of Makati in 2006, while Estrada recalled his ouster at the height of an impeachment trial in January 2001.
“Pinagtulungan din ako nila noon (They also ganged up on me),” said Estrada, who served time until then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pardoned him.
Enrile, whose son Jack is running for the Senate, questioned administration policies like the distribution of conditional cash transfers, instead of using the amount to create jobs.
He also accused the Aquino administration of raising cigarette and liquor taxes in order to distribute condoms all over the country.
“Babaguhin nating lahat yan kapag UNA ang umupo sa Senado (We will change all that once UNA sits in the Senate),” said Enrile.
Binay said the candidates also recognize that their real enemies are not political rivals, but joblessness, hunger and abject poverty.
Among the other local personalities at the proclamation rally last night were Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia, Rep. Benhur Salimbangon,
Danao City Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. and his brother former mayor Jesus “Don” Durano, Bantayan Mayor Ian Escario, Badian Mayor Roburt Librando, and Provincial Board Member Ian Zambo.