Erap showcases mass appeal in final sortie in Tondo

In his final sortie for the upcoming May polls, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino standard-bearer former President Joseph Estrada had one message: “Akin ang Tondo." (Tondo is mine.) Showing that he still has the common touch, Estrada and the rest of his party held on Saturday night their miting de avance in Tondo, Manila—traditionally one of the poorest areas in the country’s capital city, with its foreshore areas home to urban informal settlers from the post-World War II period onwards.
Estrada said during the evening rally that he personally chose Tondo as the venue for his party’s final sortie since it is his birthplace and the starting point of his career as an actor. “Ito po ay Tondo. Dito po ako ipinanganak sa Tondo, kaya mahal na mahal ko po ang Tondo. Ang Tondo po ang nagpasikat sa akin bilang artista (This is Tondo. I was born here in Tondo, and so it’s very close to my heart. It was Tondo that made me into a popular actor)," he said in his speech before a jampacked Plaza Hernandez in front of Tondo’s Sto. Nino church. Estrada, who was ousted from the presidency in 2001 through a popular mass uprising, appealed to the residents of Tondo to give him the chance to finish his “pro-poor" platforms. “Ako lang po ang inyong naging pangulo na talagang kandidato ng masang Pilipino… Hindi niyo po ako iniwan kaya hindi ko rin kayo iiwan (I’m the only President you’ve had who was truly the candidate of the Filipino masses… You didn’t abandon me, and so I also wouldn’t abandon you)," he said. Present during the sortie were PMP’s vice-presidential bet, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, and senatorial aspirants Senator Jinggoy Estrada, JV Bautista, Francisco Tatad, Jun Lozada and Jose de Venecia III. Manila mayoral candidate Lito Atienza and vice-mayoral aspirant councilor Bonjay Isip-Garcia were also present during the miting de avance Tirades In his own speech during the same final rally, Binay launched tirades against his closest rival, Liberal Party vice-presidential bet Manuel Roxas II. Binay insisted that Roxas is not a real opposition candidate, having been part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Cabinet. “Siya ang unang Cabinet member na nang-iwan kay Erap at lumipat sa panig ni Gloria Arroyo… Mar Roxas, magpakalalaki ka naman! (He was the first Cabinet member who abandoned Erap and moved to Gloria Arroyo’s camp… Mar Roxas, act for once like a real man!)" he said in his speech. Binay also accused Roxas on banking on the popularity of his running mate, Senator Benigno Aquino III, who continues to lead in various presidential preference surveys. “Bakit palagi kang nakakapit sa palda ng iyong kandidato? Hindi mo ba kayang lumabang mag-isa? (Why do you always hold on to the skirt of your running mate? Are you incapable of fighting alone?)," he said. A survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) in early May showed Binay and Roxas tied as top contenders for the country’s second highest post. The PMP vice-presidential aspirant also maintained that his party is the only true opposition vying for seats in the May polls. “Ang PMP lang ang tunay na oposisyon. ‘Yung mga nagpapanggap na oposisyon, mga peke po iyan (Only the PMP is the real opposition. Those who pretend to be part of the opposition, those are fake)," he said. Despite his carrying the PMP banner, Binay in fact stated his party affiliation as PDP-Laban when he filed his certificate of candidacy for vice-president last year. Erap country? Some Tondo residents insist that their district is still “Erap country" despite the fact that another presidential aspirant, Senator Manuel Villar Jr., claim strong support in the area which was also his birthplace. Villar, who is the Nacionalista Party standard bearer, has apparently lost some ground in the most recent SWS survey by sliding into third place, while Estrada has replaced him at second place. This last-minute surge has revived hopes among many of Estrada’s followers that their idol indeed has a fighting chance to regain the Presidency. Housewife Carmelita Gabion said she wants Estrada back in Malacanang because she believes the former president is what the country needs at present. “Gusto ko si Erap dahil mabait siya. Kailangan siya ng masa ngayon. Mananalo iyang si Erap (I like Erap because he’s kind. The masses need him now. Erap will win)," she said while wearing Estrada’s trademark orange wristband. For 56-year-old vendor Myrna Hipoloto, Tondo is and always has been a bulwark of support for Estrada. “Sana nga manalo siya. Maraming may gusto sa kanya, lalo na dito sa Tondo. Hawak ni Erap ang Tondo (We do hope he wins. We are many who like him, especially here in Tondo. Erap owns Tondo)," she said.—JV, GMANews.TV