TARLAC, Philippines – In Tarlac, it very much felt like the home turf of President Benigno Aquino III.

The Bulwagan ng Katarungan Covered Area in the Municipality of Victoria here was crowded wall to wall, in anticipation of Aquino and the senatorial bets of his coalition, Team PNoy.

Liberal Party local leaders and common folks gathered excitedly despite the scorching heat – and later, strong rains – to see the administration slate.

And when they came, they were welcomed excitedly by a roaring crowd, which cheered enthusiastically for every speaker, even barely known proxies, in an overwhelming show of support.

Knowing Aquino’s popularity, a large number of bets showed up, something that has been increasingly rare, as the campaign neared its end. Former senators Jamby Madrigal and Jun Magsaysay, Aurora Rep Sonny Angara, former Akbayan Rep Risa Hontiveros, senators Sonny Trillanes and Koko Pimentel and former censors chief Grace Poe visited the province, while Sen Loren Legarda and presidential cousin Bam Aquino sent proxies.

But the cheers were loudest and most fanatic when President Aquino took the stage.

When the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) visited Tarlac, senatorial candidate Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, wife of Aquino’s uncle Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, vowed to deliver votes for the coalition.

Tingting served as governor of the province for 8 years, while Peping was a 5-term congressman of Tarlac’s first district.

But the history of the Cojuangcos did little to faze the bets of Team PNoy.

On Wednesday, May 1, Team PNoy’s first-ever campaign visit to the province, the administration slate acknowledged the influence of the Cojuangcos in Tarlac, but said Aquino was downright more powerful and popular.

“We cannot deny [UNA] will get lots of votes here too, but I think Team PNoy still has an advantage because it is the President against the former governor,” Aurora Rep Sonny Angara told reporters.

He said he did not necessarily expect a 12-0 win because it was Aquino’s hometown, but said “at the very least, the 9-3 prediction in surveys should be fulfilled.”

Sen Sonny Trillanes also admitted the Tingting would have some kind of hold on Tarlaqueños, but expressed confidence in the track record of his coalition mates, saying voters of Tarlac would be able to discern for themselves without anyone’s influence.

Former Sen Jamby Madrigal said she was “not at all,” concerned about Tingting and UNA.

In 2010, Aquino overwhelmingly won Tarlac in his bid for President, garnering 387,624 votes over former president Joseph Estrada’s 30,191 votes – an affirmation of his popularity here. Tarlac has 692,948 voters. – Rappler.com