Vice President Leni Robredo, a presidential aspirant, toured the vote-rich province of Cavite on Thursday, November 25, paying visits to several congressmen and Governor Juanito Victor Remulla.

Cavite 6th District Representative Luis Ferrer IV and General Trias City Mayor Antonio Ferrer hosted a meet and greet for Robredo in the city park during the morning.

Robredo, together with her running mate, Senator Francis Pangilinan, and senatorial candidate Chel Diokno, also spoke to the Nagkakaisang Kababaihan ng General Trias.

Referring to the Ferrers, Robredo said: “‘Yung akin pong relasyon sa kanila ay talagang kaibigan.” (My relationship with them is that of true friends.)

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Robredo recalled going to San Francisco in the United States with congressman Ferrer, Cavite 3rd District Congressman and Imus City mayoral aspirant Alex Advincula, and Cavite 1st District congressman Francis Gerald Abaya. She shared that she was often not accompanied by security so the three congressmen went with her during their trip abroad.

Abaya, in September, voiced his support for Sara Duterte if the Davao City mayor decided to run for president. Duterte has since filed her certificate of candidacy for vice president, with the son of the deposed dictator, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., as her standard-bearer.

Congressman Ferrer accompanied Robredo to the provincial capitol in Trece Martires City, where they met Remulla and Carmona Mayor Roy Loyola.*

Advincula met with Robredo and Bishop Rey Evangelista at the Imus Cathedral, where the Vice President led a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a bell house.

Advincula was also present at the Dasmariñas National High School, where Robredo spoke with supporters and answered questions from representatives of fisherfolk, healthcare workers, and jeepney drivers.

Cavite 4th District Representative Elpidio Barzaga was in the audience, but it was his son, Dasmariñas City Councilor Francisco Barzaga, who welcomed Robredo.

Robredo also inaugurated two food trucks which served lugaw. A feeding program was held at Barangay Tramo-Bantayan, Kawit, Cavite, led by volunteers for Robredo.

The two food trucks came from anonymous donors and were repainted by volunteers.

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Cavite is the province with the second highest number of registered voters. In 2016, when Robredo ran for vice president, she lost in Cavite to Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by more than 150,000 votes. Robredo garnered 404,105 votes in the province against Marcos’ 556,622. – with Dennis Abrina and Rappler Research/Rappler.com

*An earlier version of this report identified Roy Loyola as the congressman of the 5th District of Cavite, a post he previously held. It has been corrected to reflect his current post as Carmona mayor.

Jerome Sagcal is a Luzon-based journalist and an awardee of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.