Groups join Metro Manila caravan to show support for Go’s VP bid

Sectors from various walks of life showed their support for the vice presidential bid of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go as they attended a Metro Manila caravan on Sunday, November 7.

The motorcade began on J.W. Diokno Boulevard in Pasay City and continued through the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue to Monumento in Caloocan City. Thereafter, it returned to the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Taxi drivers later joined the caravan, in addition to more than 300 motorcycles and 200 cars that were originally part of it. At the end of the gathering, more than 1,000 supporters from various sectors had gathered to show their support.

A Bong Go mascot also joined to entertain the participants and onlookers.

The day before, November 6, hundreds of supporters of Go, who collectively call themselves the Sulong Ang Pag-Unlad Movement, initially participated in separate caravans organized in multiple areas, including Biliran, Bohol, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camiguin, Capiz, Davao de Oro, Eastern Samar, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Vizcaya, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Pangasinan, Quirino, Rizal, Siquijor, Southern Leyte, Southern Samar, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur as well as the cities of Dumaguete, Iloilo, Mandaluyong, Marawi, Iligan, Parañaque, Pasay, Quezon, San Juan, Tacloban and Valenzuela.

The Go Bong Go Coalition was also launched in Caloocan City in an activity attended by hundreds of supporters on November 6. The event was led by at least 10 parallel groups, including Bayan for Bong Go (B4BG), Friends of Bong Go (FOBG), Go Kabataan, Go Youth Movement, Riders Pilipinas, FOBG Riders, Gammakins, LGBT PILIPINAS, BAGO 2022, and other volunteer support groups.

The Let’s Go VP Bong Go Coalition, which is composed of another 50 parallel groups, similarly conducted a launching event in Subic, Zambales last October 31.

In the 2019 midterm elections, Go received the third highest number of votes in the senatorial race at 20.6 million.

He now consistently leads some of the recent vice presidential polls, topping the Publicus Asia's Pahayag-Quarter 3 survey at 23.6%. The same survey also showed that Go currently enjoys the highest trust score among incumbent senators. 

In addition to this, the lawmaker also led several online polls including the Manila Bulletin’s vice presidential poll which ran on several online platforms from October 29 to October 31.

Despite the support for his candidacy, Go stressed that he will remain focused on his duties as senator and on helping the country overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, saying, “Unahin muna natin ngayon malampasan itong pandemya dahil kung hindi natin malalampasan ito, baka wala na tayong pulitika na pag-uusapan.”

“Unahin muna natin ang buhay at kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino. Mag-ingat tayong lahat dahil delikado habang nandito pa si COVID-19. Magmalasakit at magbayanihan po tayo para masigurong walang maiiwan sa ating muling pagbangon bilang isang mas matatag na bansa,” he added.

Go’s vice presidential bid has garnered support from various individuals and groups. Newly formed Reform Party has voiced its support for the candidacy of Go in the 2022 elections after it formed an alliance with the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

Greco Belgica, former chair of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, has already indicated his support for Go's vice presidential bid, as has the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan group that he heads.

Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, in a letter, has also stated his support for Go, saying, “We fully endorse and support your candidacy for Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines in the 2022 National Elections.”

Go reaffirmed his pledge to continue advocating for the interests of the Filipinos. He also vowed to be a “working vice president” should the Filipino people decide to elect him.

“Maraming salamat po sa patuloy na paniniwala at suporta ninyo sa amin ni Pangulo at sa buong Administrasyong Duterte,” Go said.

“Patuloy nating iparamdan sa bawat sulok ng bansa ang mga magagandang programa at pagbabagong inumpisahan at ginagawa ng administrasyong ito,” he added.