GUIMBAL, Iloilo – THE UniTeam Alliance prodded Filipino voters on Tuesday night to put the last needed act in their show of support to presidential and vice presidential frontrunners former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte respectively, by voting them and their senatorial slate on election day and assure the tandem’s leadership in the next six years.

The call was made by the UniTeam during its “Miting de Avance” for the Visayas with another mammoth crowd of supporters held at Guimbal Football Field, Brgy. Bagumbayan here a week before the presidential elections.

Marcos, Duterte and UniTeam senatorial candidates Harry Roque, Win Gatchalian, Larry Gadon, and Jinggoy Estrada were welcomed by the Garins, an influential political force in the province, led by Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin and Guimbal Mayor Jennifer Garin, Iloilo congressional candidate and former Rep. Ferjenel Biron and other local allies.

“Kung boboto po kayo ng UniTeam na Marcos at Duterte, pakiusap namin iboto niyo ang UniTeam senators,” Duterte said.

“Mga kababayan, ako po si Sara Duterte, humihingi po ako ng tulong at suporta ninyo sa pagka-bise-presidente ng ating bansa, maraming salamat magandang gabi sa inyong lahat!”

“Bakit po ako boboto kay Bongbong Marcos as president? Ako po si Sara Duterte, hindi ako ang pinaka-matalino o pinakamagaling na kandidato, ako ang pinaka-maganda, totoo ‘yan, wala tayong argumento diyan. Pero walang makakatalo sa akin sa tibay ng puso ko, lalo na sa paggawa ng mga mahihirap na desisyon para sa aking trabaho at para sa bayan,” Duterte said.

For his part, Marcos asked Filipino voters to support the UniTeam candidates and reminded them to continue the movement to unite the country even after the elections.

“Sa darating na Lunes, nasa kamay ninyo, ang kinabukasan ng ating minamahal na Pilipinas.

Sa darating na Lunes nasa kamay ninyo kung anong direksiyon, kung saan natin dadalhin ang Pilipinas, kung ano ang ninanais natin na maging kinabukasan ng mga Pilipino, kung saan natin dadalhin ang Pilipinas sa loob ng susunod na limang taon, sa susunod na sampung taon, sa susunod na 20 taon. Iyun pong desisyon na iyan ay nasa kamay ninyo. Kami po sa UniTeam ay naghaharap kami sa inyo, naghaharap muli sa inyo na kami ay tulungan ninyo,” Marcos said.

“Tayo ay magkapit-bisig. Kahit matapos ang halalan, kahit tapos na ang inyong desisyon kung sino ang mamumuno. Huwag po tayong titigil dito sa ating ginagawang kilusan ng pagkakaisa.

Kailangan pa rin ng ating mga kababayan, kailangan pa rin ng ating minamahal na Pilipinas ang inyong pagtulong sa isat-isa, ang inyong pagmamahal sa isat-isa, ang inyong kakayahan, sipag at sakripisyon at trabaho para pagandahin ang Pilipinas,” Marcos added.

House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) president, urged voters to go out and exercise their right to suffrage, ensuring that each vote will count for Marcos and Duterte and the whole senatorial ticket of the UniTeam.

“We know that you have been there with us. Anywhere we go during the past weeks and months of the campaign, you are always with us, you never wavered in your support. But for the last time, we ask you to show us your support, go out and vote, and make sure your votes will count for Marcos and Duterte, and for the whole senatorial ticket,” Romualdez said.

“This is the last act that we ask from you, an act that will ensure peace, jobs, unity, economic development and prosperity for all Filipinos,” Romualdez added during the rally in Iloilo, its massive attendance giving a preview of what might be the results of the elections.

More than two weeks ago and not far from Iloilo, the UniTeam with the help
of dominant local party One Cebu staged its grand rally in Cebu, wherein it politically owned the province as promised by its officials by drawing at least 300,000 people in attendance.

The scene is not different from the other rallies and provincial sorties of Marcos and Duterte wherein mammoth crowds were noted and a landslide win for the tandem is chanted and vowed.

Officials and political leaders in provinces across the country, from governors down to barangay officials, have also vowed to give the presidential and vice presidential frontrunners landslide victories.

While Filipino voters have already assured Marcos and Duterte of victories, as gleaned from unchanged extremely high acceptance ratings out of the sustained nationwide surveys by groups and various pollsters, and even by their huge presence in rallies held across the country during the nearly three months of campaign, the UniTeam is not taking chances.

The UniTeam wants every vote counted and the political exercise is free from cheating and any hints of irregularities, which for these, it asked its supporters to guard and secure their votes.

“By casting your votes for the UniTeam and its candidates, you have assured yourselves and the country a bright future. Make sure this will not be robbed from you by safeguarding your votes,” Romualdez said.