CEBU CITY, Philippines – Presidential bet Manny Pacquiao is banking on his family’s roots in Cebu province, where he will hold one of his advance rallies before the May 9 elections, to convince voters to support the only Visayan presidential candidate.

Pacquiao is holding a miting de avance in Cebu on Friday, May 6, and in General Santos City on Saturday, May 7.

“Dito kami nanggaling sa Cebu. Taga Cebu talaga ang mga Pacquiao. Sinasabi ko na nga, dito sa Cebu, isang barangay puro mga Pacquiao eh. Napakaraming Pacquiao, so tahimik lang mga Pacquiao pero napakarami,” he told reporters in an interview on Thursday, May 5, at San Remigio, Cebu.

(We trace our roots in Cebu. Pacquiaos are really from Cebu. As I said, here in Cebu, one barangay has a number of Pacquiaos. There are a lot of Pacquiaos here, we are only quiet, but we have family here.)

Pacquiao’s father, Rosalio, was born in Barangay Guimbawian in Pinamungajan, Cebu.

The senator said that in holding a miting de avance in Cebu, he hopes that Visayans hear him out.

“Ang pinaka-message ko dito wa may lain mag tinabangay kami ra mga bisaya. Ako lang ang bisaya na nagdagan karong elekyuna sa presidential election ug nag hinaot ko sa ako ang mga kaigsuonan na mga bisaya,” he said.

“Mag-uban uban ta ipadayon natu ang pag lambu sa Visayas at Mindanao kay mao nay kulang sa atua mao nay permi samok diri sa atong lugar sa Visayas, Minadano kay walay development. Panahon na ituloy tuloy yung development diri sa atong lugar ang visayas ug Mindanao,” he added.

(My message here is that nobody will help one another other than Visayans. I am the only Visayan candidate who is running for the presidency that’s why, join me, my Visayan brothers. Together, we will develop Visayas and Mindanao, because development is always lacking to the point that there is always chaos in our area. It is time to continue the development here in Visayas and Mindanao.)

Pacquiao will be holding his Cebu miting de avance along 3rd Avenue in Cebu City – the same venue where Manila Mayor Isko Moreno held a rally on Wednesday, May 4.

Pacquiao told reporters to just “wait and see,” speaking as if he is not expecting anything grand to happen on his second to the last rally before election day. But for Pacquiao, the warm welcome he has received since he arrived in the province on Wednesday is “proof” that Cebuanos want him. 

The PROMDI standard-bearer has held sorties late at night – some spilling over until 1 am – after he was unable to follow his early morning schedule due to last-minute changes in priorities. Despite the changes, Pacquiao still went to the sorties even if it meant he had to campaign at night, because some of his supporters had been waiting for him since the morning.

“Doble kayod. Tapos hindi umaalis ang mga tao at talagang gusto akong hintayin at makita ako at marinig ang plataporma ko.… Na-touch naman ako, na itong ginagawa nilang support sa akin na mga mahihirap. Tandaan ‘nyong mabuti, ‘di ko kayo ipapahiya. I won’t let you down,” he said.

(We are working double time. The people did not leave the sorties and they were really waiting for me to see me and hear my platform. I was really touched by the gesture, and the support the poor showed me. Remember this, I will not embarrass you. I won’t let you down.)

On Friday, Pacquiao will be visiting the islands around Cebu – Bantayan, Camotes, Carnaza, and Olanggo – before his miting de avance. His running mate Lito Atienza will be unable to join him during the advance rally.

In 2016, Pacquiao got over 850,000 votes in Cebu province when he ran for senator, ranking 3rd among the winning senators. – Rappler.com