The Liberals began their campaign with a Mass in Aquino country, in the town of Concepcion, Tarlac, where the late Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino Jr. began his political career as the youngest mayor to be elected into office.
In his talk at the end of the Mass, Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Sen. Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III said Concepcion was also special to him for another reason.
He recalled that his first time to speak publicly was at the town plaza in 1976 when his father was given an award during martial law.
Aquino was accompanied by his running mate, Sen. Manuel 'Mar' Roxas II, and the LP senatorial candidates. They were blessed by 30 priests led by Tarlac Bishop Florentino Cinence.
In his homily, Fr. Mon Capuno, parish priest of La Paz, asked Aquino to open his palms and raise his hands saying in them were the heavy burden because they hold the hope of the nation.
Fr. Capuno then asked the audience to raise their hands as a symbol of the support they would give him in the challenge ahead.
Before the prayer of Our Father, a slight commotion was heard outside the church when actor Coco Martin arrived, momentarily disrupting the solemn Mass.
Corruption and integrity
On occasion, Aquino's campaign buddy and bodyguard, Fr. Arnold, would step in to keep people away from mobbing the presidential candidate.
The LP national slate then took a short walk to the Concepcion public market for a rally to introduce themselves.
Tarlaceños listened to the speeches from market stalls and the roadside, momentarily halting all business at the busy commercial center.
But the adoring crowd did not mind the heat, listening to candidates condemn corruption and promise to bring integrity back in governance.
From the market, the party walked to the town plaza to lay a wreath at the foot of a Ninoy Aquino statue fronting the town hall.
Concepcion mayor is with NP
Absent from the festivities were re-electionist Concepcion Mayor Noel Villanueva, who is running under the banner of Aquino's closest rival, Sen. Manuel Villar's Nacionalista Party.
The mayor prepared merienda for the visitors who chose not to drop by, but instead met their supporters in the home of their mayoralty candidate, board member Jay Castro.
From there, the LP slate moved to the Aquino ancestral home to break for lunch, followed by a press conference.
At the press conference, a host of statements from the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, beginning with Aquino's announcement that he aims to complete the distribution of over 1 million hectares of private lands during the 5-year extension period of the agrarian reform law.
Plans for Hacienda Luisita
As of Hacienda Luisita, Aquino says he has asked his extended family to find ways to transfer the assets to the farmer-beneficiaries debt-free.
He says his family could avail of the voluntary offer to sell option (VOS) under the CARP with Extension and Reforms (CARPER) law, but it would not be in the better interest of the farmers.
In other words, they are still at the exploratory stage in an issue which has been a yoke around Aquino even if his stake in Hacienda Luisida Inc. is only 0.004%.
What is noticable is that the Liberal Party has raised the decibel of their attacks against Villar.
Roxas calls NP bet "Villarroyo"
Saying it was a race betwen character and cash, Roxas also called Villar "Villarroyo," while Aquino said he was not a true candidate for change because his previous statements and actuations indicate that he never opposed the corruption of the Arroyo administration.
Aquino also said that even if the incumbent mayor of his father's hometown is a Villar supporter, he is confident that he will enter his name on the ballot.
The campaign also took Aquino on a nostalgic visit to his family's old home as he toured guests around and brought them to the room of his parents Ninoy and Cory.
He also reunited with 72-year-old Neneng Calosa, who says she was only 13 years old when she took care of the senator who was still a toddler.
The Liberals arrived in Tarlac City at 4:30 pm on a motorcade from Capas for another Mass, after which a monument of former President Aquino was unveiled.
The opening salvo of the campaign was capped by another rally in Tarlac, their third in a full-packed day.
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