MANILA, Philippines – Presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao has presented himself as “the” alternative candidate, as he held a grand rally in San Juan City on Saturday, April 23.

In his biggest rally in Metro Manila yet, the boxing icon-turned-politician said that his candidacy is a “revolution of the poor.” His camp called Pacquiao supporters “believers.”

“Kaya po ako ganito nakikipaglaban para sa mga mahihirap, kaya ko sinasabi sa inyo rebolusyon ito – ang pakikipaglaban ni Manny para sa mga mahihirap nang mabigyan ng importansya ang mga mahihirap,” he said.

(The reason why I fight for the poor, the reason why I say that this is a revolution – it is because Manny’s fight is for the poor, so that the poor themselves would be given importance.)

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At the Pinaglabanan Shrine, a site of a battleground between the Spanish forces and the revolutionaries of the Katipunan, Pacquiao said that the next administration could possibly be even more polarizing if a certain candidate wins.

“May isang kandidato ‘pag isa manalo, magulo pa rin, kaya hindi papayag yung isang grupo. ‘Pag ang isang grupo naman manalo, hindi rin papayag magulo pa rin. Nandito po ang Manny Pacquiao na tunay na nagmamahal sa bawat Pilipino,” Pacquiao said.

(There is a candidate that if he wins, it would be messy because the other candidate would not allow it to happen. If this other group wins, then it would still be messy because the first group would also not allow it. This is why Manny Pacquiao is here, the one who truly loves every Filipino.)

He did not name them, but it looked like he was hitting warring survey front runners Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo. In 2016, Marcos contested Robredo’s win but ended up losing his case.

Pacquiao also received the endorsement of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesman Eid Kabalu. He broke away in 2010 from the MILF – which has already endorsed the candidacy of Robredo on Saturday morning.

Veteran actors Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama also endorsed Pacquiao, as well as singers Kris Lawrence and Freddie Aguilar.

According to organizers, around 11,000 people attended the rally in San Juan, arguably bigger than most of Pacquiao’s previous rallies.

On Saturday, Marcos Jr., Pacquiao, and Robredo held separate rallies in Metro Manila – in what seemed to be one of the last “show of force” sorties, two weeks ahead of elections.

‘The future in our hands’

Three of those included in Pacquiao’s Senate slate attended the rally in San Juan.

Reelectionist Senator Joel Villanueva, former senator JV Ejercito, and former Eastern Samar governor Lutgardo Barbo were there.

Villanueva’s earlier speech resonated with what Pacquiao said when he spoke to supporters. Villanueva said that Filipinos should make a choice and that even choosing nothing makes one complicit.

“Importante sa bawat Pilipino na siya ay either parte ng solusyon o parte ng problema. Dalawa lang po. Walang gitna. ‘Pag sinabing nasa gitna, sigurado parte ng problema,” he said.

(It’s important for every Filipino to either become part of the solution or the problem. There are only two choices. There is no such thing as a middle ground. If you say you are in the middle, then you are part of the problem.)

The he said: “Kung tayo ba bilang isang bansa ay makakabangon pa mula sa pandemya; kung meron bang mabuting kinabuksan para sa ating mga kabataan, sa ating mga pamilya, sa ating mga mahal sa buhay. Ang sagot din po diyan ay nasa inyong mga kamay.”

(If we as a nation will be able to rise up from the pandemic; if there would be a good future for the youth, for our families, and those we love. The answer for that is in your hands.) – Rappler.com