Thousands join Noynoy, Mar rally

MANILA, Philippines - With only a week from election day, the Liberal Party (LP) made a show of force yesterday with thousands of volunteers and supporters massing up for the tandem of Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

High school and college classmates of Aquino from Ateneo de Manila University batch 1977 and 1981 showed up to express their support for the LP presidential bet.

Each took their turns to describe how Aquino was like when he was still a student. All of them said Aquino did well in school despite the personal struggle of his family while the patriarch, the martyred former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was incarcerated during the martial law years.

Aquino’s classmates came out to denounce reports of mental instability on the part of the LP bet.

Event organizer Boots Ignalaga said the gathering was the initiative of the Ateneo batch 1977 and 1981 to encourage more support for Aquino and Roxas.

“The elections are near. We want to show that we are standing up for what we believe in. We chose our candidates well and we’re here to support them until election day and beyond should they win,” Ignalaga said.

“All volunteers here are not members of political parties. They are not paid and based on our experience on the ground there is a groundswell of support for Noynoy and Mar,” he added.

The event started with a fun run and a concert-rally at the People Power Monument along EDSA. Celebrities graced the affair while bands played rock music to drum up support for Aquino and Roxas. – Aurea Calica