MANILA — Supporters waved placards with diverse slogans as they welcomed Vice President Leni Robredo in Oriental Mindoro on Thursday, which she said showed how her campaign for the presidency was different from her other election bids.

Robredo at the Pinamalayan People's Rally pointed out posters with the phrases "Marurupok For Leni (People gullible in love for Leni)" and "'Di baleng walang add-to-cart sa 3.3, basta manalo si Leni (It's fine not going shopping on 3.3, as long as Leni wins)."

"Ang ikli ng 18 hours, bigyan 'yan ng 6 years," another read, referencing Robredo's recent remark on her 18-hour workdays.

(Eighteen hours is short, give 6 years.)

Other placards referenced former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, also known as BBM, one of Robredo's rivals in the May presidential race.

"Jowa ng BBM supporter for Leni," one placard read. Another said, "lugawist is better than loyalist," pitting the "lugaw" tag often used to insult Robredo against a term for Marcos supporters.

Robredo said in her 2 previous election campaigns, supporters were provided with the same campaign materials and uniforms.

"Ngayong kampanya po, sobrang iba dahil taong-bayan mismo ang gumagalaw," she said at another rally in Calapan City. "Ito iyong nagbibigay sa amin ng energy at inspirasyon."

(This campaign is very different because it's the people who move. This is what gives us energy and inspiration.)

According to data gathered by the ABS-CBN Investigative & Research Group, Oriental Mindoro is the 2nd most vote-rich province in Region IV-B making up over 28 percent of the entire region's registered voters.

In the 2016 elections, Robredo won the vice presidential votes in Oriental Mindoro with over 42 percent of the race in the province, nearly double of her then-opponent Senator Chiz Escudero.

Marcos Jr. came in third in the province with only 21 percent of the votes.

KIKO HITS ABSENTEES

Robredo's running-mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan meanwhile took a swipe at candidates who fail to join debates.

"Paano malalaman ang katotohanan kung hindi humaharap, hindi uma-attend ng mga debate?" Pangilinan asked, without naming anyone.

(How can you find out the truth if they do not show up and attend debates?)

Marcos has skipped presidential debates, save for one hosted by the broadcasting arm of religious group Kingdom of Jesus Christ, whose leader Apollo Quiboloy has endorsed Marcos Jr. and running-mate Davao City Sara Duterte-Carpio

• Marcos to shun debates, forums that pit candidates against each other: spokesperson
• Marcos Jr., Sara Duterte undecided on Comelec debates

"Pwede bang pagtiwalaan yung hindi marunong humarap, nagtatago, may tinatago? Hindi pwede yung Tiktok na resibo na peke," Pangilinan called on the crowd to be more discerning in who to give their votes.

(Can you trust someone who hides from you? Fake receipts from Tiktok shouldn't be enough.)

Robredo meanwhile acknowledged the presence of youth supporters in their rally.

"Sa atin po, ang hinihingi natin sa mga first time voters, ang kapangyarihan nasa kamay ninyo. Wag po natin itong sasayangin sa pagboto nang hindi tama," she said.

(On our part, what we ask from first time voters is power is in your hands Let us not waste this by voting wrongly.)

"'Yung mga nanay at tatay na nandito, di ba wala naman tayong ibang pangarap kundi ang buhay ng mga anak natin, mas maging mabuti kaysa sa buhay natin, di ba?" she added.

(Parents here would agree: we only want a life for our kids better than ours, right?)