2022 PH presidential race

1st stop in Visayas: Isko vows ‘son of Waray’ won’t leave Samar behind

Pia Ranada

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1st stop in Visayas: Isko vows ‘son of Waray’ won’t leave Samar behind

VALENTINE'S SPEECH. Isko Moreno speaks before residents of Catbalogan City on February 14, 2022.

Photo by Isko Moreno Campaign Team

On the 7th day of the campaign period, Tondo boy Isko Moreno takes his campaign to the Visayas for the first time

MANILA, Philippines – Isko Moreno made Samar Island, his mother’s place of birth, his first stop in the Visayas, promising its residents he would give its development adequate attention should he win the presidency in May.

Moreno, though born and raised in Tondo, flexed his Visayas roots during his two days in the country’s third-largest island – hitting Calbayog City and Catbalogan City on Monday, February 14, then Allen, Northern Samar on Tuesday, February 15.

Allen is the hometown of his late mother Rosario “Chayong” Domagoso, who worked as a laundrywoman and garlic peeler while raising Moreno in Tondo.

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Moreno’s motorcade from Calbayog City to Catbalogan City drew excited crowds to the streets. An evening gathering in Catbalogan City nearly filled up a covered court. In Allen, Moreno and other Aksyon Demokratiko candidates spoke at two smaller gatherings. They embarked on another motorcade, from Allen to Lavezares.

The 47-year-old Manila mayor seized on the poverty known by many Waray-Waray, attributing it to the lack of presidents or people in national positions who come from Samar Island in the last few decades.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, for the past 60 years, no national official from here has ever been elected. I mean [at] a national level – no senator, no vice president, no president, for over 60 years. I think the last time was in the 1950s,” he said in Filipino in Calbayog City.

“My point, baka napapanahon naman na, itong Waray-Waray nating mga kababayan, kahit anong kulay ng partido nila sa lokal, baka naman puwede ‘nyong pagkaisahan? ‘Yung anak ng Waray, di ba?” he continued.

(My point, maybe it’s time for the Waray-Waray to unite, no matter what their local parties are, behind the son of a Waray, right?)

The most prominent Samar Island native to reach the upper echelon of national posts would be Jose Avelino, born in Calbayog City in the 19th century who became the first president of the Senate of the Third Republic of the Philippines, from 1946 to 1949.

‘Napag-iwanan’

Local officials of Allen, hometown of Moreno’s mother, embraced the mayor as one of their own, calling him the son of a Waraynon. Vice Mayor Arturo Dubongco introduced him as “ang nag-iisang Waraynon na kandidato sa pagka-presidente” (the lone Waraynon running for president) in his first event in the town, by the statue of local hero Florentino Das.

In a later gathering, former mayor Rod Laurean Suan, an Aksyon Demokratiko partymate of Moreno’s, said the same thing. Suan is running for mayor against the incumbent, Joey Suan, who did not speak at Moreno’s events.

The Manila mayor lamented the state of infrastructure and development in Samar.

Pati airport ‘nyo, naaawa ako. Saan kayo nakakita ng airport may tumatawid na baka?” he said, drawing some laughter. (Even your airport, I pity it. Where have you seen an airport where there’s a cow crossing?)

“The first two years ng six years, ang pagfo-focus lang namin ay buhay at kabuhayan. Doon lang,” the presidential bet later on said, eliciting hoots of approval.

(In the first two of the six years, we will focus only on life and livelihood.)

He promised to continue Build, Build, Build programs, with a focus on constructing hospitals, schools, and disaster-resilient buildings. Read his entire platform, called the 10-point Bilis Kilos (Fast Action) Agenda, here.

Moreno badly needs Visayas’ support, as he is tied in third place with Mindanaoan Senator Manny Pacquiao, behind Vice President Leni Robredo and frontrunner Ferdinand Marcos Jr., based on latest polls.

In Pulse Asia’s January survey, the Manila mayor got only 5% in voter-preference ratings in the Visayas, half of his rating a month before. In comparison, Marcos had a commanding 53% voter-preference rating in the region, as of January. – Rappler.com

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Pia Ranada

Pia Ranada is Rappler’s Community Lead, in charge of linking our journalism with communities for impact.