Liberal Party national slate courts Iloilo vote

ILOILO CITY—With his closest rival fast catching up with him, Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino of the Liberal Party wants to muster all the support he can get to ensure victory in the May elections. He tried to do just that in this vote-rich province on Friday, going around its premier city and five of the province's municipalities in just one day. Included in his packed itinerary was an appearance at the Lunar New Year celebration in the provincial capital, where he and fellow LP candidates basked for half an hour in the colorful festivities. "With 90 million of our population and 45 million in the voting bloc, you want the support of everybody especially when you think about issues like Hello Garci," Aquino told reporters upon leaving the program set up at the junction of Iznart and Basa streets in Iloilo City. Iloilo's Lunar New Year festivities, which the province has been holding since 2003, is a week-long celebration of the Chinese holiday filled with exhibits, cultural performances, and fireworks displays. Present were local officials such as Iloilo City Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr. and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas, as well as prominent personalities in the Filipino-Chinese community such as Teresita Ang-See of Kaisa Foundation and Dr. Rolando Uy of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Iloilo Inc. Iloilo is the second province the LP has visited since the start of the official campaign period last Tuesday, when they went to Aquino's home province of Tarlac. (See: Noynoy seeks God's help at campaign kick-off in Tarlac) The crowd in Iloilo, however, were noticeably less excited about the LP candidates' presence compared to the thousands of screaming supporters Aquino and his entourage encountered in his Central Luzon home province. But Aquino brushed off the contrast in the public's response as a mere difference in the provinces' ways of expression. "Di pareho everywhere (It's not the same everywhere)," Aquino said. "Ganoon talaga iba, the ideals of propriety. They are explaining to us, for their standards nasa labas sa init kakausapin kang matagal very demonstrative [na] yan." Aquino was accompanied by his running mate Senator Mar Roxas and LP senatorial bets such as Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon, Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, Dr. Martin Bautista, and former Senate president Franklin Drilon, who hails from Iloilo. The candidates began the day with a press conference where Drilon alleged that Aquino's closest rival, Nacionalista Party standard bearer Senator Manny Villar, facilitated the conversion of prime rice lands in Oton town so he could build a subdivision. (See: LP: Villar converted rice lands for Iloilo subdivision) Roxas even took a potshot at Villar by saying the latter was "posturing" as an Ilonggo. (See: Mar: Villar is Ilonggo? I don't think so) Afterwards, the LP entourage campaigned in the local markets of Sta. Barbara, Pototan, and Barotac Nuevo towns, then held sorties in the gyms of Dumangas and Leganes towns. With over 1.1 million registered voters, Iloilo is among the top 10 most vote-rich provinces in the country. In the 2004 presidential elections, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo handily won in the province over opposition candidate Fernando Poe Jr.—JV, GMANews.TV