CAVITE, Philippines – Former vice president Leni Robredo received a rockstar welcome on Tuesday, February 11, as she took the stage at the Dasmariñas City Arena in vote-rich Cavite to formally endorse the Senate bids of her allies, Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino.
The scene at the arena, nearly filled with supporters of the Kiko-Bam tandem, was reminiscent of the 2022 “pink movement” — a volunteer-driven campaign that drew large crowds during campaign sorties. It was Aquino himself who led the movement, shifting his camp’s usual color from yellow to pink.
Almost everyone was wearing pink shirts and holding placards that read, “Libreng edukasyon, sigurado trabaho (free education, guaranteed jobs).” The only exception was Pangilinan, whose official campaign color was green, the same color he used when he ran as vice president alongside his running mate, Robredo. Both lost to the once-formidable “Uniteam” tandem of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, who campaigned under the unity platform. Their fallout, however, is another story.
When Robredo was introduced on stage, the crowd erupted in cheers of “Leni! Leni! Leni!” as if she were the one running for the Senate. She then quipped, “Hindi ako ang lalaban ha. Na-miss n’yo ba ako? Ako kasi miss na miss ko kayo!” (I’m not the one running, you know. Did you miss me? Because I really missed all of you!)
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The last time Robredo appeared before a large crowd of supporters was at a thanksgiving party on May 13, 2022, following her unsuccessful presidential bid in 2022. Although she did not win the presidency, she expressed gratitude to her supporters for the movement they started and announced the establishment of the Angat Buhay Foundation, a network of volunteers dedicated to helping those in need.
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Robredo’s charisma remains strong even three years after stepping away from the public sphere. Kakampinks, the term used for her supporters, were visibly excited and hopeful upon seeing her. Her supporters became emotional when she assured them that the fight that began in 2022 would continue as she rallied behind the Senate bids of Pangilinan and Aquino.
“Tumitindig ako sa harap ninyo ngayong gabi, hindi bilang kandidato, kundi bilang kapwa ninyo Pilipino. Buong pagpapakumbaba at pakikipag-usap: Muli nating gisingin ang lakas ng nagkakaisang taumbayan. Muli na nating ipaglaban ang Pilipinas ng ating mga pangarap,” Robredo said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
(I stand before you tonight, not as a candidate, but as a fellow Filipino. With humility and sincerity: Let us once again awaken the strength of a united people. Let us fight for the Philippines and our dreams once more.)
Robredo received 14,822,051 votes in 2022. If all of her supporters vote for Kiko and Bam, they could secure around 15 million votes in the upcoming elections. In the last senatorial race, Senator JV Ejercito, who placed 10th, received 15,688,993 votes; opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros (11th) garnered 15,273,594 votes; and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada (12th) received 14,966,887.
The midterm elections exclude polls for president and vice president. Senatorial candidates are thus on the spotlight rather than the candidates for the top two posts. A Pulse Asia survey from January 18 to 25, 2025 shows a tight race for the last six Senate seats, with 14 out of 66 candidates having a “statistical chance” of winning. Pangilinan and Aquino were outside the top 12, placing 15th to 16th and 15th to 18th, respectively, if elections were held during the survey period.
Despite being outside the winning circle, the Kiko-Bam tandem remains hopeful they will eventually break into the so-called “Magic 12.”
Banking on the “Leni Magic,” Aquino said more volunteers nationwide had signed up to support their campaign, replicating the pink wave of 2022. He added that with 89 days left in the campaign period, they still have time to convert voters.
What’s new this time?
Pangilinan, for his part, urged kakampinks not to engage in conflicts with rival camps, stressing the importance of listening to and respecting differing opinions. This is especially crucial as political experts noted that one weakness of Robredo’s 2022 campaign was the tendency for some supporters to engage in word wars, rather than focusing on converting voters.
“The biggest lesson is we have to reach out, be open, increase our ranks…. Especially for our supporters, let’s not fight those with different points of view. Instead, let’s convince then, encourage them to increase our ranks,” Pangilinan said in Filipino.
Meanwhile, Aquino rejected labeling their tandem as opposition, positioning them as an independent slate and as an alternative choice to the two dominant factions — the Duterte and Marcos slates. This move, however, is tricky, as critics have called for a unified opposition, similar to what the tandem had been in past elections.
Since the fallout of the once formidable “Uniteam,” the Duterte camp, led by Vice President Sara Duterte, has positioned itself as the opposition. This move has drawn criticism from critics and leftist groups, who argue that they do not embody the true qualities of an opposition.
“I’ve always said we’re an independent slate. I think the label comes from the media. But, for us, it’s clear that our campaign is independent. Two big groups are clashing right now, and senator Kiko and I are clearly on the side of the people,” Aquino said in Filipino.
Acknowledging that their return bid to the Senate will not be easy, Pangilinan said they would work hard, campaign intensively, and even beg for votes in the months leading up to the May 12 polls.
“Sabi nga nila, sa ganitong eleksyon, kailangan natin manlimus ng boto. So, ganun lang ang magiging natin. Continue going around the country. Continue to convince ang ating mga kababayan na supportahan ‘yung mga nararapat,” he said.
(As they say, in this kind of election, we need to beg for votes. So, that’s how it will be. Continue going around the country. Continue to convince our fellow citizens to support those who deserve it.)
Standee no more
At the proclamation rally on Tuesday, former senator Leila de Lima also made an appearance. She is running as the first nominee for the party-list group Mamamayang Liberal (ML).
De Lima’s entrance to the stage was symbolic. Initially, her standee was carried by other ML nominees, Teddy Baguilat (second nominee) and Erin Tañada (third nominee). She then appeared on stage, declaring that the standee was a “thing of the past.”
“Andito na ako! (I’m here already!)” De Lima said joyfully, as she can now join campaign sorties in person. The standee had been a staple during her 2022 reelection bid for the Senate, which she lost while campaigning from jail. She had been in detention for seven years due to what she called “trumped-up” charges during the Duterte administration. She was released on bail in November 2023, and in June 2024, she was cleared of all charges.
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The 2025 midterm polls are still three months away, and a lot of political upheavals could occur. Will this work in favor of Kiko-Bam? – Rappler.com