VICE presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte expressed gratitude to the supporters who have joined the “Mahalin Natin Ang Pilipinas” ride.

The first day of the campaign ride was successful as thousands of people lined up along the highway from Davao City to Bislig City, Surigao as they waited for the arrival of Mayor Sara and her entourage.

Mayor Sara thanked the BBM-Sara tandem supporters and called on them to come together in campaigning for unity in the country.

“Maraming salamat sa suporta ninyo sa Uniteam at lagi nating ikampanya ang panawagan natin lahat – ang pagkakaisa. Sama-sama tayong babangon muli,” she said.

The MNPR started shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday. Some nine hours and 20 stops later, Mayor Sara and her group arrived in Bislig City in Surigao del Sur, some 226 kilometers away. Usually, a trip to Bislig from Davao only takes around five hours.

During the send-off ceremony, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, expressed support to the Uniteam as he prayed for the safety of everyone joining the ride with Sara.

The send-off was done at the compound of Quiboloy’s church in Buhangin, Davao City.

The first stop was in Tagum City in Davao del Norte, where Duterte led the inauguration of the Marcos-Sara Duterte Alliance (MASADA) provincial headquarters.

Duterte was welcomed by local supporters and the provincial government leaders led by Davao de Oro Gov. Tyron Uy, Vice Governor Maricar Zamora, First District Rep. Manuel ‘WayKurat’ Zamora and other members of the provincial Hugpong ng Pagbabago slate.

In Bislig City, Duterte graced the opening of the LAKAS-CMD Provincial Headquarters with National Party Secretary General Prospero Pichay and wife, Cantilan Mayor Carla Pichay.

Mayor Sara also met Surigao del Sur Gov. Alexander Pimentel and Rep. Johnny Pimentel in a separate event in Bislig City.

In the second day of the “Mahalin Natin Ang Pilipinas Ride,” Mayor Sara promoted her tandem with former Senator Bongbong Marcos Jr. in Agusan del Sur.

Mayor Sara met with her supporters and well-wishers on Wednesday morning at Barangay 3, National Highway here when she made her humble appeal.

“Salamat sa inyong pagsuporta sa administrasyong Duterte. Magkampanya ako sa mga hindi pa kumbinsido sa pagsuporta sa Bongbong Marcos-Sara Duterte UniTeam,” she said .

She later offered the flag to her supporters here to promote nationalism.

Duterte, who serves as chairperson of Lakas-CMD and Hugpong ng Pagbabago, also thanked local residents for the love that they have shown her family.

The support to the Dutertes by Filipinos in the south is matched only by the support that the Marcos family has captured from north of the archipelago.

It is for this reason that political pundits have described the BBM-Sara tandem as formidable.

Duterte led the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Marcos Sara Duterte Alliance (MASADA) headquarters in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur.

The MASADA headquarters — the second to be inaugurated in two days — is situated in front of the Sibagat Central School Oval Playground.

On Tuesday, the vice presidential aspirant inaugurated the MASADA headquarters in Tagum City, Davao del Norte during the first day of the caravan.

Before afternoon, Duterte visited the Cabadbaran South Elementary School in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte to meet her relatives from the Roa family and her supporters.

In Sibagat and Cabadbaran City, Duterte also asked her supporters to give their full support to the UniTeam led by Marcos. She also gave the Philippine flag to her supporters in Sibagat and Cabadbaran City.

The Lakas-CMD vice presidential aspirant stressed anew the importance of patriotism and asked locals to love their country.

The MNPR caravan was conceptualized amid the challenges brought by the imposition of different travel and social gathering restrictions against the spread of COVID-19.

The three to five-hour daily ride will feature tourist landmarks, short meet ups with local supporters, and distribution of Philippine flags to remind Filipinos that the country needs unity to advance positive change and sustainable development.

The caravan will start in the eastern side of Mindanao to Cagayan Valley and will head back to Davao after taking the west-side route from Ilocos Norte.