PANGASINAN, Philippines – In his father’s home province, reelectionist senator Grace Poe appealed to Pangasinense voters to make her top the senatorial race again.

On Tuesday, May 7, Poe spent the entire day attending political rallies in the towns of Bayambang and Binalonan in the vote-rich province of Pangasinan, and led a motorcade around the province in between sorties.

“Kailangan ko ang tulong ‘nyo para lulutang tayong mataas, para ang mangungunang senador ay taga-Pangasinan,” Poe told Bayambang voters on Tuesday.

(I need your help to maintain my high ranking, so that the top senator would be from Pangasinan.)

In Binalonan, Mayor Ramon Guico III, who is now running for congressman hosted a grand rally for Poe on Tuesday night. She asked for the locals’ to give her a huge margin in the Senate race.

“Dapat po lumaki ang lamang ko sa Pangasinan, sapagkat dito galing si FPJ. At isa pa, alam ba ninyo na, sa Senado ngayon, ako lamang ang may ugat dito sa Pangasinan?” Poe said, referring to the initials of her late father, the actor Fernando Poe Jr.

(I should have a wide lead in Pangasinan, because FPJ came here. Another thing, did you know that, in the Senate, I’m the only one who has roots in Pangasinan?)

Poe’s visit to Pangasinan – the 3rd most vote-rich province in the Philippines – is critical, as the April Pulse Asia survey showed she now shares her lead in the Senate race with another reelectionist senator, Cynthia Villar.

This was the second time Poe came home to the province since she kicked off her provincial campaign in February.

Poe told reporters that it’s important for her to be the top senator where FPJ is “king.” The late actor hailed from San Carlos City in this province.

“Of course, I’m hoping [to be number 1 here]. Aside from winning, it’s a sentimental thing for me. It’s symbolic because FPJ came here,” Poe said in a chance interview.

In 2013, Poe topped the senatorial polls in the province. She also garnered the most number of votes in Pangasinan when she ran for president in 2016.

Poe promised her “kababayans” that she would “never leave them,” just as they never left her.

“Noong 2013, ginawa ‘nyo akong number 1 dito. Noong 2016, kahit hindi tayo nagtagumpay, hindi ‘nyo ako iniwanan. Hindi ko rin kayo iiwanan,” the reelectionist senator said.

(In 2013, you made me number 1 here. In 2016, even if my [presidential] bid wasn’t successful, you never left me. I will never leave you either.)

Poe was accompanied by her mother, actress Susan Roces. In a way, she brought home FPJ too, by bringing Ang Probinsyano star Coco Martin, who plays the part of Ricardo Dalisay. FPJ starred in the 1997 film Ang Probinsyano, on which the TV show is based. (READ: Coco Martin endorses ‘Ate’ Grace Poe in Cebu)

Pangasinan is the 3rd most vote-rich province, with a total of 1.95 million voters for 2019. It makes up more than half of the registered voters in Ilocos region, where there are 3.33 million Filipinos who can cast their votes in the midterm polls. (READ: Vote-rich regions, provinces in the 2019 Philippine elections) – Rappler.com