Presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao said he felt northern Luzon was not exactly a foregone conclusion in his rival's favor, judging by the crowd that attended his campaign sorties in Lingayen town, Pangasinan on Thursday.

Some 3,000 pastors and their followers attended the event at the Lingayen Provincial Capitol Training Center where Pacquiao repeated his call to voters to denounce corruption and promised that he was the person to save the country from it.

"Wala pa akong nakikita na talagang lumalaban para sa maliliit, para sa mahihirap. Panahon na para labanan ang umiiral na sistema ng korapsyon dahil ang laban ko ay laban ng bayan. Gusto kong sagipin ang nakakaraming mahirap mula sa karukhaan," the former world champion boxer said.

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Pacquiao acknowledged not everyone would elect him, but should voters choose another candidate he said to pick someone who fears God and is not a crook.

"Alam kong may ilan sa inyo ang hindi boboto sa akin, kung gan'on ang desisyon n'yo, huwag na kayong bumoto ng magnanakaw at sa halip ay pumili ng kandidatong may takot sa Diyos," he said.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao also vowed to aggressively push for free housing should he win, saying he would allocate P400 billion each year in the first 3 years of his presidency to fund housing for the poor.

"Gusto ko na ang bawat Pilipino ay may sariling tahanan kaya akong nagpapapirma sa inyo para mabigyan ko kayo ng libreng pabahay. Huwag n'yong wawalain ang mga ID na ibinigay sa inyo dahil kapag ako nanalo, iisa-isahin ko kayo para sa pabahay," he said.

"Bakit pabahay? Kasi inspired ang tao kapag may bahay. Marami ang nagrerenta lang. Ako mismo nakaranas na halos matulog sa kalsada, magutom. Gusto ko pangalan ni Manny Pacquiao gunitain na lumaban para sa mahihirap, lumaban sa kahirapan."

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While campaigning in that part of the country, a known Marcos stronghold, Pacquiao joked: "Akala ko sabi nila Solid North, iyon pala 'Solid MP (Manny Pacquiao)."

After Pacquiao’s meeting with pastors in Lingayen, he proceeded to Urdaneta town where he was also met by massive crowds that filled the Urdaneta Cultural Center.

People also lined up the streets to show their support for Pacquiao as they motorcaded through the Poblacion area.