Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino head to Robredo’s turf for final campaign push
NAGA CITY, Philippines – In the final stretch of the campaign, former senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino will head to Naga City on Saturday, May 10, to join former vice president Leni Robredo, now running for mayor, for their miting de avance.
Just like in 2022, artists and performers remain a mainstay of the event. Former senator Leila de Lima, the main nominee of ML Partylist, will also take part in the program, which is set to begin at 6 pm.
Pangilinan and Aquino are hoping that Naga, Robredo’s stronghold, will deliver votes in their favor. This marks their final push for a political comeback bid — one that remains uncertain, as they continue to trail in pre-election surveys.
In the final Pulse Asia survey released on May 5, Aquino appears to be the only one from the tandem with a fighting chance, ranking between 11th and 18th, while Pangilinan trails at 17th to 19th place.
Both Aquino and Pangilinan have secured endorsements from various sectors, including incumbent politicians and celebrities. However, history shows that celebrity endorsements do not guarantee electoral success, as experienced by Robredo in 2022 her presidential bid and former US vice president Kamala Harris who ran for president in 2024.
Aquino also secured the endorsement of the Iglesia ni Cristo, known for its practice of bloc voting. However, past elections suggest this support isn’t always unanimous. For example, in 2016, only 77% of Iglesia ni Cristo members voted for Rodrigo Duterte, despite the church’s endorsement.
Local elections
In the 2022 presidential elections, Robredo expectedly won in Naga by a landslide — 87,940 votes over with then-presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 9,274 votes. For the 2025 midterm elections, Naga has 121,773 registered voters.
Robredo’s An Bagong Team Naga, composed of 10 councilor candidates and vice mayoral bet Camarines Sur Representative Gabby Bordado, is courting voters with the promise of genuine and transparent governance. Since the start of the local campaign, the slate has been conducting house-to-house visits called “orolay-olay” — Bikol for “conversation” — to engage residents face-to-face, better understand their concerns, and listen to their demands.
Robredo’s decision to return to her hometown and run for local office disappointed many of her kakampink supporters, who had hoped she would seek a Senate seat. She explained that her heart remains in Naga and that her true expertise lies in local governance.
Robredo is running against three candidates for Naga City’s mayoral post: Ganda Abrazado, Toots de Quiros, and Louie Ortega. – Rappler.com