Ex-Speaker de Venecia, family back Robredo for president; crowd pushes for Leni-Kiko

Dagupan City, Pangasinan – Former Speaker Jose de Venecia and his family on Saturday publicly endorsed Vice President Leni Robredo for president in the 2022 elections.

De Venecia, his wife and former Pangasinan representative Gina de Venecia, and their son and incumbent Pangasinan lawmaker Toff de Venecia raised Robredo's hands during a rally, with Robredo even hugging the de Venecia couple before the endorsement was made.

Mrs. de Venecia and Robredo were both members of the 16th Congress, with Robredo representing her home province of Camarines Sur.

But the crowd, estimated by local emergency services to have reached 76,000, responded by urging the de Venecias to endorse Robredo's running mate and Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, too.

"Isama si Kiko, Isama si Kiko, Isama si Kiko!," they chanted.

Ahead of the de Venecia's endorsement, their son Toff also gave a lengthy speech about Robredo's competence and fitness for the job to be President, with the crowd interrupting him a few times to chant, Leni, Leni, Leni.

Toff was also present during the campaign stop of former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in Pangasinan, during which he promised to deliver votes for his Lakas-CMD party-mate and vice presidential bet Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

In her speech, Robredo underscored that she picked Pangilinan to be her running mate because he advocated alleviating the plight of farmers and fisherfolk.

"Ano po 'yung mga kadalasang naririnig kong hinaing? 'Yung kahirapan ng mga magsasaka, 'yung mga nagtatanim ng sibuyas na luging-lugi ngayon, 'yung mga nagtatanim ng palay na umiiyak na dahil bagsak ang presyo, pero napakataas 'yung presyo ng mga abono. Ito po, 'yan ang isang dahilan kung bakit si Senator Kiko 'yung pinili natin na Vice President. Simbolo na sa ating pamamahala, bibigyan po natin na malaking focus ang agrikultura. 'Yan po ang advocacy ni Senator Kiko," Robredo said.

"At ito po, ang aming pong pangako sa inyo, hindi namin hahayaan na 'yung mga magsasaka, mangingisda, patuloy na maghihirap dahil kulang 'yung tulong sa kanila," she added.

Likewise, Robredo said she won't trade government revenues for anything that would result in environmental degradation.

"May nakikita po ako doon napakalaking streamer: "No to offshore mining." Ang aking pong pangako sa inyo, ang kalikasan hindi natin hahayaan na sirain ng nino man," she said.

"Kahit anong perang papasok sa pamahalaan, kung ikakasira ng kalikasan, hindi po natin 'yan papayagan," she added. — DVM, GMA News