Grace Poe woos Kapampangan voters

‘Enemy’ territory? Grace Poe and running mate Francis “Chiz” Escudero visit Pampanga, the bailiwick of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo – the political nemesis of Poe’s father.

Camille Elemia reports.

CAMILLE ELEMIA, REPORTING: A day after she got the endorsement of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, presidential aspirant Grace Poe takes her campaign to the bailiwick of her late father’s political nemesis, former president Gloria Arroyo.

Unlike in 2004 when FPJ was at a disadvantage, Poe says local leaders are welcoming her in her provincial sorties.

This is the third time Poe visits the province, with more than 1.2 million voters, and the 11th most vote-rich province in the country.

Poe visits the cities of Apalit, San Fernando, and Angeles and holds public consultations with running mate Francis Escudero and some senatorial bets. 

The last time they were here, they had to survive on their own – building and mobilizing their own network. 

Now the tandem is met by local NPC Pampanga leaders. 

After all, the second biggest political party formally endorsed the two.

But the alliance with NPC is as rocky as most political marriages go, with some members downplaying the endorsement.

Escudero has this to say:

FRANCIS ESCUDERO, VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Sana tulad ng gagawin namin kung hindi kami ang napili ng NPC, ganun din sana ang gawin nila. Magpakalalaki sila kaugnay sa bagay na ito. Tanggapin at galangin ang pasya pabor man o kontra man ‘yon sa kanila.

I hope they do the same thing should the NPC decide not to go for us – to man up about this, accept, and respect the decision whether it rules in their favor or not.

Poe even gets the chance to campaign in a place where her father resoundingly lost to Arroyo in 2004

Poe promises Capampangans she’ll be there for them if she wins, vowing to bring back Clark to its former glory and push forward with flood control projects in the province.

GRACE POE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Marami po tayong plano para rito unang una, yung Clark, yung Clark Airport i-utilize ng 100 percent para mas maraming pumunta rito, bumabyaheng turista, mas maraming mamumunuhan, mas maraming trabaho para sa inyo.

We have many plans. First of all, in Clark – utilize Clark Airport 100% so that more will visit – tourists, investors whose presence will open up job opportunities for you.

Despite NPC’s endorsement, it’s uncertain how Poe will fare in the region.

Key NPC local officials like Governor Lilia Pineda makes for strange bedfellows.

Pineda, often linked to jueteng in the region, is a staunch supporter of her father’s arch rival Arroyo – it’s hard to think of them as allies.

The region has divided loyalties – In 2010 then vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas won in the province with more than 400,000 votes.

Even Poe, for all popularity, only ranked third in Pampanga in 2013, trailing behind former senator Richard Gordon, one of the guest candidates on her slate.

How Panday’s daughter will fare in the land of new allies and old rivals will be interesting to watch.

Camille Elemia, Rappler, Pampanga. – Rappler.com