A CANDIDATE’S DIARY, DAY 14: PEOPLE’S LOVE GIVES ME STRENGTH

With only 29 days to go before the election, the campaign schedules are getting tighter and tougher, but I feel I am getting stronger and more inspired as people continued to display unbelievable support.

Everywhere I went, people surged forward to express their help, some of them even handing me envelopes containing small bills which they said they pooled together to help my campaign.

This expression of love and support gives me more strength and provides me added power to move on in spite of the lack of financial resources.

Last Friday, the 14th day of the campaign, I had a very long day which brought me to 7 areas all over the province, the last political activity stretching up to 2 a.m. of Saturday, April 13.

I started my day Friday in Midsayap and then made three more sorties in 3 different towns before my hometown where a late night rally turned into a reunion of sorts between me and my original supporters who helped me in the mayoralty campaign of 1995.

In all of the sorties I made last Friday, there was a constant expression of support, in some instances manifestations of adulation, from the people who thanked me for deciding to run for Governor.

Honestly, in all of the 6 elections I had been through, I had never heard people thanking me profusely for deciding to run for a political position.

And never had I witnessed such an endearing reception from people who shouted in jubilation as I entered the rally venue.

“Daw si Coco Martin ka ba!” joked my brother, Ferdinand, who is acting as my executive assistant in the campaign.

Many are surprised by the inexplicable reaction of the people to my presence.

I have one explanation: People see in me their hope for a better future, they look at me as the person who could deliver them from poverty towards a better life, who could send their children to school, who could repair their roads, who could assure them of medical care and most of all they see me as one of them who could help them realize their dreams and aspirations.

People see my political battle as their struggle as well. I cannot fail them, I have to win this for my people.

(Photo caption: This woman in Aleosan embraces me and proclaims: Amon ini! (He is ours!). Indeed, I am theirs.)