Robredo backs Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino senatorial bids

On Tuesday, 11 February, former vice president Leni Robredo formally endorsed the candidacy of senatorial aspirants Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Bam Aquino.

Robredo urged her supporters to vote for Pangilinan and Aquino during the duo’s “People’s Campaign Kickoff Rally” at the Dasmariñas City Arena in Cavite.

“Ang ating pinagdaanan nitong nakaraang mga taon ay isang paalala: Mahaba pa ang ating paglalakbay — at marami pang puwang para magpatuloy. May pagkakataon tayong gawing mas matibay ang ating hanay para sa mas malaki pang hamon,” she said in her keynote speech.

("The challenges we’ve gone through in the past years are a reminder: Our journey is still long — and there is still much room to continue. We have the opportunity to strengthen our ranks for even greater challenges.")

“Tumitindig ako sa harap ninyo ngayong gabi, hindi bilang kandidato, kundi bilang kapwa ninyo Pilipino. Buong pagpapakumbaba at pakikipag-usap: Muli nating gisingin ang lakas ng nagkakaisang taumbayan. Muli na nating ipaglaban ang Pilipinas ng ating mga pangarap,” she added.

("I stand before you tonight, not as a candidate, but as a fellow Filipino. With humility and dialogue: Let us once again awaken the power of a united people. Let us fight for the Philippines of our dreams.")

She continued: “Tara na, ipanalo na natin Senator Bam Aquino at Senator Kiko Pangilinan.”

("So let us win this for Senator Bam Aquino and Senator Kiko Pangilinan.")

Pangilinan was Robredo’s former running mate in the 2022 presidential and vice presidential elections, while Aquino served as their campaign manager.

Although defeated during the previous elections, the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem gathered mammoth crowds, particularly during the tail ends of their campaign.

Cavite hosted Robredo’s two huge rallies during the 2022 presidential campaign. Around 50,000 supporters attended their tandem’s first rally in General Trias, Cavite, where Robredo had to hitch a motorcycle ride to reach the venue on time.

Days before the election, Robredo returned to a mammoth crowd of around 100,000 during her miting de avance at the City of Dasmariñas Football Field.

Considered a major electoral battleground, Cavite has the highest number of registered voters in Region 4A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) with 2,460,981.

Calabarzon, for its part, is the country's top vote-rich region with 9,761,170 million voters.

Prior to their kick-off rally, Aquino and Pangilinan, along with Robredo and their supporters, attended a Holy Mass at the UP Parish of the Holy Sacrifice in Quezon City.

Akbayan party-list Representative Perci Cendaña, Akbayan party-list first nominee Atty. Chel Diokno, former Quezon province 4th District Representative Erin Tañada, and former Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat were also in attendance.