Noynoy seeks God's help at campaign kick-off in Tarlac

(Updated 3:45 p.m.) TARLAC — Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III kicked off his campaign on Tuesday with a Mass in his home province, in his bid to become the second member of the Aquino clan to become President. Hundreds of Tarlaqueños, many of them clad in the Aquinos' signature yellow, flocked to the Immaculate Concepcion Church in Concepcion town to get a glimpse of Aquino and other Liberal Party candidates. Tarlac Bishop Florentino Ferrer Cinense and more than 20 other priests led the Mass. "Mabigat ang laban na darating. Talagang kailangan natin lumapit sa Diyos para punuin ang pagkukulang natin. Sa tulong po Niya, sa pagmamahal natin sa kapwa, siguradong malalaktawan natin lahat ng pagsubok (It's a difficult battle ahead. We really need to seek God's help to fill in our inadequacies. With His help and love for our neighbor, we can surpass all obstacles)," Aquino said in his address after the Mass, receiving thunderous applause. Aquino said he chose to kick off his presidential campaign in Concepcion because it was where he first delivered a speech--during the martial law era in 1976, when his father, the late senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., was incarcerated. "Iba ho talaga ang makauwi, madama ang inyong pagmamahal, madama ang inyong suporta. Sa pinakamadilim na yugto ng aking buhay, kayo po dito sa Concepcion talagang pinadama niyo sa min na hindi kami nag-iisa (There's nothing like going home and feeling your love and support. During the darkest days of my life, the people from Concepcion made us feel that we were not alone)," he said. With Aquino during the Mass was his running mate Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and at least eight of the Liberal Party's senatorial candidates, namely former Rep. Nereus Acosta; Sonia Roco, widow of the late presidential aspirant and senator Raul Roco; former Senate President Franklin Drilon; Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel; former Senator Ralph Recto; Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon; author Alex Lacson; and doctor Martin Bautista. Roxas' wife, news anchor Korina Sanchez, was also spotted inside the church, clad in yellow. Aquino's youngest sister Kris Aquino and his girlfriend, Shalani Soledad, were not seen at the Mass. In a press conference held shortly after noon, Aquino explained that Soledad had been campaigning for him in other areas such as Zamboanga and Valenzuela, while Kris is mostly involved in his campaign in the media. After the Mass, Aquino and the other LP candidates walked to a nearby public market, where they were greeted by hundreds of cheering supporters. Actor Coco Martin joined them at the rally to urge the youth to vote for the LP candidates. Survey leader Since declaring his presidential bid last year, Aquino has been leading other aspirants in preference surveys. Lately, however, poll results from both the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia showed that Senator Manuel Villar of the Nacionalista Party was fast catching up with Aquino. If he becomes President, Noynoy will become the second consecutive child of a former Philippine President to hold the same post. His mother, the late Corazon C. Aquino, was catapulted to the presidency following a popular street uprising in 1986. In January 2001, then Vice-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also assumed the presidency via the same route — when the military backed a popular uprising and withdrew its support from Joseph Estrada. Mrs. Arroyo is the third child of the late Diosdado Macapagal, who was President from 1961 to 1965. — with Mark Merueñas/RSJ/NPA/HGS, GMANews.TV