Thousands of Filipinos Saturday packed final campaign rallies for the Philippines’ presidential election, which is shaping up to be a rematch between the son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and a female human rights lawyer who beat him in 2016.
Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr is the frontrunner in the presidential race, while Vice President Leni Robredo is trailing behind in second place, according to the latest surveys.
Some of Robredo’s supporters – mostly clad in pink, the campaign’s signature color – began to gather at the site of the rally along Ayala Avenue in Makati City the night before. Others were seen walking more than 12 hours before the start of the program.
About 7 kilometers (4.35 miles) away is the site of Marcos Jr’s final rally, where buses and vehicles offered free rides for supporters who sported the campaign colors of red and green. Many also camped out at the bayside grounds of Aseana since dawn.
Marcos Jr has vowed to be a “unifying president” and has urged his supporters to vote for his full slate on Monday.
“Your vote for our UniTeam is a vote for the future, a vote for every Filipino and a vote for unity,” he said ahead of the final rally. “Your vote for UniTeam is a show of love for the Philippines,” he added.
In a survey released one week before the elections, Marcos Jr was the top choice of 56% of 2,400 respondents polled nationwide on April 16-21, while Robredo trailed with 23% nationwide, Pulse Asia Research Inc. said.
Despite the gap, Robredo has not lost hope for a victory. “I never had a fight that was easy," she said. "I would not be satisfied if the fight was not difficult because in my opinion, the best public servants come from the hardest fights because they feel how hard it is to win,” she said.
In 2016, Robredo beat Marcos Jr in a tight fight to win as vice president. Marcos Jr filed an electoral protest, which was eventually rejected.
