Vice President Jejomar Binay traces his roots in Bauan, Batangas, the hometown of his late father.
The United Nationalist Alliance standard-bearer hopes to secure another victory in the vote-rich province, dominated by the ruling Liberal Party.
Mara Cepeda reports. - Rappler.com
Vice President Jejomar Binay continues his rags-to-riches campaign narrative in Batangas, telling supporters here that his early life of poverty had made him better equipped to address the problem.
On the fourth day of the campaign, Binay and other United Nationalist Alliance bets and supporters go to Nasugbu, Balayan, Calaca, Lemery, and Bauan, the hometown of the Binay’s father.
JEJOMAR BINAY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My father is from Bauan, Batangas. It so happened that he got married to someone from Isabela. People sometimes joke, 'Jojo is such a tightwad.' Why? People from Batangas are known for their habit of saving money. Those from Isabela are the same.
Binay explains his platform: pro-poor governance and inclusive growth.
JEJOMAR BINAY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can solve poverty; we can get people out of poverty. You are looking at someone who faced that problem
Binay won in this province in the 2010 elections, beating Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II by over 175,000 votes. Batangas has 1.53 million registered voters for the May 2016 polls.
Repeating his 1010 victory in Batangas, however, may be a challenge for Binay, with 22 out of the 34 mayors in the province administration party members.
Governor Vilma Santos Recto and Vice Governor Jose Antonio Leviste II are also LP members.
Binay’s campaign spokesperson Rico Quicho says this is not cause for concern.
RICO QUICHO, BINAY SPOKESPERSON: You know, this is why we go to every barangay and town because this is not new for Vice President Binay. If they’re saying we barely have political allies here, you saw how many of our countrymen here continue to trust and love Vice President Binay
A lack of partymates in Batangas isn't the only hurdle the man who calls himself Batangueño na Ibanag needs to surpass in the province.
He also needs to convince people here to vote for him instead of Senator Grace Poe, who leads in Luzon in the latest Pulse Asia election survey.
Mara Cepeda, Rappler, Batangas