Roco tours Bicol sans fanfare

LEGAZPI CITY — Presidential candidate Raul Roco and his Alyansa ng Pagasa spent yesterday, the third day of the campaign period, touring 12 towns in his home region of Bicol without the usual fanfare that accompanies campaign sorties.

Roco said the members of his ticket do not go for extravagant campaign sorties since their integrity and credibility may be put into question once they are elected.

The power of other candidates "is in money. And maybe, it’s money that has been stolen from the government," he said.

Roco claimed that the machinery of other candidates, to ensure huge crowds, pay people to attend their rallies.

"But when you pay people to watch your show, after two hours they leave. When all you have are volunteers, they leave after three hours," he said.

Roco and other candidates running under the banner of the Alyansa ng Pagasa held a motorcade from Naga City, his hometown, early yesterday morning. They passed through Pili, Baao, Iriga, Nabua, Pulangui, Oas, Ligao City, Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, and Legazpi City.

While the campaign sorties of other candidates were enlivened by the presence of bands and entertainers, Roco kept his motorcade low key. Except for men on motorcycles to lead the motorcade, only the jingles urging voters to support senatorial candidates Francisco Chavez and Jay Sonza announced their arrival.

The portly Roco, in a red floral print shirt, waved from the open sunroof of a car as children ran alongside it, shouting his name. Their parents tried to shake his hands.

The candidates made stopovers at Camarines Sur Polytechnic College, Nabua National High School and Bicol University. Some students at the university, however, were disappointed with Roco’s answers when they asked him about how he plans to address the problems in the country’s educational system if he is elected president.

"We are not satisfied with his answer. He did not answer my question. He just mentioned his programs on education while he was a senator and secretary of education. What we want to know is what he will do when he becomes president," Abel de Ramon, a student, said.

The Alyansa ng Pagasa held a proclamation rally Wednesday night at the Plaza Quezon in Naga City, attended by some 5,000 supporters.

Camarines Sur Reps. William Fuentebella and Rolando Andaya showed up at the rally despite being from other political parties. Fuentebella, who belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition, claimed he cannot endorse Roco because he promised local leaders that he will support the candidate they will choose to endorse for president.

Andaya, a member of the Liberal Party, said he is supporting Roco because "we believe in his capability" to lead. He also said that Roco is an old friend of his family. The Liberal Party, however, is allied with the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats party that supports President Arroyo’s candidacy.

During the rally, Roco assured his townmates that he will not put them to shame if he is elected president.

"The Bicolanos are honorable. What the Alyansa wants to do is revive patriotism, honor and glory in governance. We will do our best to fulfill this," he said. — With Celso Amo