Pink blooms highlight the illusion of Solid North for Marcos, Jr.
NEWS | February 12, 2022
5MIN READ
By SHERWIN DE VERA www.nordis.net
VIGAN CITY — The crack in the ‘Solid North’ has never been more apparent now that Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.’s son and namesake, Bongbong, is eyeing the presidency.
Since October last year, supporters of Vice President and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo in North Luzon, a known bulwark of the Marcoses, have been braving public backlash and online bashing. Various activities of Kakampinks (a contraction of the words kakampi meaning ally and pink, Robredo’s campaign color) across the region posted on social media became regular targets for online trolls and Marcos’s fanatics.
However, individuals supporting Robredo have been increasing, prominent individuals supporting the campaign and campaign hubs sprouting across the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and the Cordillera regions instead of being deterred.
The latest addition are the volunteer centers in the capitals of Abra and Ilocos Sur that volunteers opened as kick off for the national campaign.
Opening salvo
On February 8, supporters of the Leni-Kiko tandem in Abra and Ilocos Sur started the official campaign period for the 2022 Presidential Elections by launching their volunteer centers.
In Vigan City, more than a hundred Kakampinks joined the opening and blessing of the volunteer center at the iconic Villa Angela, the 148-year-old ancestral home of the prominent Verzosa family.
A calesa caravan around the city’s main roads followed a short program to open the place formally.
Verzosa scion and Former Philippine Commission on Women Executive Director Emmeline Verzosa shared that her family offered a part of the place for the volunteers to honor their family’s “history of participating in the struggle for democracy.”
She also congratulated the volunteers and conveners of support groups “for having the courage to join the activity and show support for the Leni-Kiko tandem.”
Formal opening of the Leni-Kiko volunteer center at Villa Angela, Vigan City by Ilocos Sur People’s Council conveners Emmeline Verzosa and ZG Azurin. Photo courtesy of MAMA-Leni.
In Bangued, businessman and owner of Oval Era Mall Oscar Valera, Jr., led the opening of the volunteer center in his mall.
“We had a mass attended by a good number of people, then immediately after that we had a stationary caravan and then the ribbon cutting and blessing of our Leni-Kiko Headquarters,” he said.
According to him, their campaign activities are running smoothly, with a growing presence in the different towns. “We are very much present in the main towns, and we don’t have an issue [regarding the campaign] with the siting official since they are my friends,” he said.
He recalled becoming acquainted with the Leni-Kiko campaign and 1Sambayan through his lawyer friend Howie Calleja, one of the conveners of 1Sambayan.
“I am also with 1Sambayan and have attended its meetings. Since I am a Valera and have a mall in Abra, so I placed Leni tarpaulins all over the mall,” he said.
His initiative started the ball rolling for Robredo’s supporters, with youth groups reaching out to him “at a time when I was also looking for groups to help me with the campaign.”
Oscar Valera, Jr., leads the opening of the campaign center at the Oval Era Mall at the heart of Bangued’s capital town. Photo courtesy of Abra for Leni.
Why Robredo?
In their unity statement, the Ilocos Sur People’s Council proclaimed their “unwavering support for VP Leni Robredo in her bid for the Presidency.” They cited her sincerity and competence as a leader and public servant. The statement also underscored her “expertise in implementing poverty eradication programs.”
“She manifests courage in protesting against oppressive and exploitative systems in governance. She stands gallantly to uphold our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea. She shows unfaltering bravery in her quest for justice for the victims of human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings,” the statement said.
Welcoming the participants, Valera underscored the need for good governance and believes that Robredo will deliver this if she wins. He also stressed his hatred of people who steals and of corruption.
On February 7, Makabyan Ilocos also held an online presser to affirm their support for the Leni-Kiko tandem. The group said they have parallel human rights and pandemic response platforms.
Makabayan Regional Coordinator Engr. Eduardo Rimando said that compared to Marcos, who relies only on his name, Robredo has a clear platform.
“They (Leni-Kiko) have the best chance of preventing the return of Marcos and a clear program that would benefit the people of Ilocos,” he added.
From tens to hundreds, Kakampinks in Ilocos Sur continue to grow in number. Photo by Sherwin De Vera.
Campaign challenges
For Valera and Verzosa, coming out as a Robredo supporter in a Marcos-dominated election landscape is among the tests they have to hurdle in the campaign.
“We have silent people, silent supporters of Leni, who are still hesitant to come out, but there are already lawyers and even prominent people in the province,” Valera said.
He is hopeful that with the opening of the headquarters, they can get more supporters to come out in the open and help in the campaign.
Verzosa said they need to find ways “to break the silence” of other Leni supporters.
“Some people [who supports Leni] prefer to remain silent. We have to break that silence, find ways to give them courage so we can have more people to amplify the campaign,” she said.
“We set up this (volunteer center) to show that we are here. It is a political call for kakampinks to come out and join us. We have a safe place here,” Verzosa added.
Aside from breaking the hesitancy among Robredo’s supporters, Ilocos Sur People’s Council lead convener Engr. ZG Azurin said they also need to systematize and expand their machinery.
He pointed out that they need an efficient and effective method to promote the brand of leadership presented by Robredo to make it a distinct campaign.
“Besides campaigning for Leni, we also want to empower the people. We want to know their issues and inform them of the kind of governance that Leni is promoting to the people’s council, the bottom-up governance,” he explained.
In Bangued, youth groups remain to be the prime movers in the campaign, but more and more local personalities and professionals are joining the Leni-Kiko team. Photo courtesy of Abra for Leni.
‘Solid North’ myth
Neri for Senator Movement leader Mario Ben said that many Leni-Kiko volunteers are becoming more active in engaging Ilocanos on why they should vote for Leni. They are also speaking against the disinformation being spread by Marcos’s loyalists online and during their community visits.
For Rimando, the existence of Leni supporters and continuing presence of the progressive mass movement in the region prove that Solid North is an illusion. He said Ilocanos are starting to become more critical on national issues and platforms of candidates.
Meanwhile, Valera underscored that opening campaign centers is an essential part of the campaign. For him, it is a means “to let people know that there is no Solid North.” # nordis.net
