TARLAC CITY - Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate Isko Moreno Domagoso and his slate held a series of motorcades and a campaign rally in Tarlac earlier this week, pushing to get more votes from the province once known to be a stronghold of the Liberal Party (LP).

Less than a year before the May 9, 2022 elections, Tarlac lost two of its political scions: former President Benigno Aquino III - who wielded influence over the LP - died in June 2021; Rep. Charlie Cojuangco - the youngest son of Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) founding chairman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco - passed away last month.

The demise of these prominent Tarlaqueño politicians is giving several candidates some room to score more votes in the Central Luzon province, which boasts of some 898,000 registered voters.

"Tarlac kasi thinks almost like Metro Manila, except for some small towns or in the mountains… this is parang (like) Metro Manila na," said Lito Banayo, Domagoso's campaign manager.

"They are exposed to the news, they watch television, they listen to radio, they also listen to social media, so very well-informed and Tarlac voter," he told ABS-CBN News Digital on the sidelines of their sortie here.

"That is the silent majority that somehow does not want to give its opinions through surveys," he said.

While Domagoso has yet to bag the formal endorsement of Tarlac Governor Susan Yap and her allies in the NPC, the presidential candidate said he is focused on touching base with voters here.

"Masaya na kami na mayroon kaming ganitong mga pagkakataon na mainit ang pagtanggap sa amin," Domagoso told reporters at the provincial capitol where he was set to have lunch with the governor.

(We are happy that we have this chance where the people receive us warmly.)

"Most of them gastos pa ng aming host city, host municipality, host province," he said.

(Most of our expenses are shouldered by our host city, host municipality, host province.)

ALLIANCES IN TARLAC

Domagoso and his slate's foray into the Central Luzon province was organized by Aksyon Demokratiko vice-chairman and Concepcion town Mayor Andy Lacson, who is now running for Tarlac 3rd district representative.

"Mayor Andy Lacson is the protégé of former Cong. Hermie Aquino, PNoy's grand uncle and our former party chair," Aksyon Demokratiko chairman Ernest Ramel Jr. told ABS-CBN News Digital in a text message. Hermie Aquino died in August 2021.

"I think that endorsement he left for Mayor Lacson and Mayor Catacutan of Capas matters to the Tarlaqueños," he said.

Ramel said he is quite confident that Domagoso and his slate "have strong support in at least districts 2 and 3" of Tarlac, but admitted that the "Ilocano-speaking district 1 might go to [former Sen. Ferdinand] Marcos Jr."

This is why the party has been forging closer ties with the Yap family and other NPC members in Tarlac, he said.

"The Yaps are also a legitimate force now and an endorsement from them will mean a lot," Ramel said.

While the LP's national candidates won in Tarlac in the 2016 national elections, the province is now dominated by the NPC.

Aside from the governor, all 3 legislative districts of Tarlac are represented by NPC members — the late Charlie Cojuangco, Victor Yap, and Noel Villanueva. Tarlac Vice-Governor Carlito David is also a member of the NPC.

Gov. Yap earlier said that the NPC has yet to decide who it will back for the 2022 national elections, noting that party chairman Vicente Sotto III is running for vice president and is backing the candidacy of Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

• Some NPC members to back Lacson after another bet backed out from 2022 presidential race: Sotto

"Isko is the first one who had a rally here in Tarlac and as the mother of the province and the governor, of course, we will welcome all candidates," said Yap, when asked if she would endorse Domagoso's candidacy after she joined his campaign rally.

"Wala pang endorse (No endorsement yet). I belong to NPC and NPC has not decided who to endorse yet," said the governor, who ran unopposed in the 2019 elections.

• After Isko rally, Tarlac governor clarifies not endorsing presidential bet yet

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'FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE'

Banayo said that they expect the Yap family of Tarlac to officially endorse Aksyon Demokratiko's standard bearer by next month.

"We don’t want to put local candidates — governors, congressmen, mayors in a bind, in a spot at this point in time — kasi may mga projects pang inaasahan ’yan sa national government (because they are still waiting for projects from the national government)," he said.

"OK lang, walang problema ’yun [statement niya], but I know deep in her heart and in the heart of the Yap family, si Isko ang gusto nila."

(We have no problem with her statement, but I know deep in her heart and in the heart of the Yap family, they like Isko.)

Should the NPC choose another presidential candidate over Domagoso, Banayo said they are still confident that the Manila mayor can get significant votes in Tarlac as "political parties do not matter in the Philippine context anymore."

"They have become flags of convenience," said the veteran campaign manager, who was also involved in the presidential bids of Lacson in 2004, of then-Senator Benigno Aquino III in 2010, and then-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.

In 2016, LP standard bearer Mar Roxas and vice-presidential candidate Leni Robredo managed to win in Tarlac only because Aquino - who hails from the province - was then the incumbent president, Banayo said.

"Kita mo, konting-konti 'yung diperensya between Mar Roxas and Grace Poe, even if Grace Poe had a new party," he said.

(You see, Mar Roxas had a very slim margin against Grace Poe, even if Grace Poe had a new party.)

Roxas won in Tarlac with nearly 195,000 votes, while Poe came second with about 186,000 votes.

In the 2016 vice presidential race, some 243,000 voters from Tarlac chose Robredo, while her then rival Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. got about 214,000 votes from the province.

The assessment of Domagoso's chances of winning in Tarlac will be "based on the warmth of the people" who go out on the streets to see the Manila mayor's motorcade, Banayo said.

Domagoso said he believes that the public would still vote for who they want regardless of who their leaders endorse.

"Naniniwala ako sa kalayaan ng tao na makapamili," he said.

(I believe that the people will freely choose who they want.)

"Masarap na i-endorso ka ng mga governor, congressman, mga local official... napaka sarap nun pero bonus lang 'yun."

(It feels good to be endorsed by a governor, by a congressman, by local officials... that feels good but that is just a bonus.)

• Isko campaign buoyed by 'organic support', campaign manager says