Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao was welcomed by a throng of supporters in Cebu in the wee hours of the morning despite the rain.

The retired boxing superstar was given a rousing welcome by supporters at 1 a.m. Thursday at the Balamban Sports Oval, fueling his bid to pull a come-from-behind win in this May’s presidential race.

Pacquiao returned to Cebu Wednesday for a three-day political sortie to consolidate the support of the vote-rich Visayan province.

After attending the Commission on Election’s panel forum which was marred by technical glitches, Pacquiao barnstormed across Southern Cebu covering Minglanilla, Talisay, Naga City, and San Fernando, Carcar City, Sibonga, Argao, Toledo, and Balamban.

People poured into the streets to see Pacquiao, who also held a series of jam-packed people’s rallies in Carcar City, Argao, and Balamban.

“Grabe ang inyong pagmamahal, Cebu! Inulan na tayo at inabot ng alas dose, pero hindi kayo bumitaw! Mula sa aking puso, maraming maraming salamat sa inyong tiyaga at solid na suporta!" Pacquiao posted in his Facebook page which has 18.6 million followers.

Pacquiao began the second day of his scheduled sorties from Balamban to cover the northern towns of Asturias, Tuburan, Tabuelan, San Remigio, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Bogo, Tabogon, Barbon, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Compostella, Danao, Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue and Carbon with a series of caravan and people’s rallies.

Pacquiao’s motorcade from Balamban until his people’s rally in Barangay Lambusan, San Remigio became an arduous seven-hour journey as people who were waiting for him along the way blocked his convoy just to shake his hands. The normal travel time is only 2.5 hours.

Talking to the media before his people’s rally in Barangay Lambusan, San Remigio, and Pacquiao said the scene of people flooding the streets to welcome him and massive crowd turnouts in his people’s rallies despite the lack of organized mobilization is the true reflection of the people’s sentiment and not the surveys.

"Diyan mo makikita ang tunay na survey, sa ilalim. Yung damang-dama ng mga mahihirap na tao, damang-dama ng mga nahihirapan na mga pamilya ang aking adbokasiya na para sa kanila itong laban na ito. Hindi ito para sa sarili ko. Para ito sa inyong lahat , laban ninyo ito," Pacquiao said.

"Dapat niyo itong ipanalo. Magkaisa kayong lahat. Ipakita natin sa kanila na kakaunti 'yung mayayaman at tayong mahihirap ay marami. Ito na 'yung pagkakataon," Pacquiao said.

He said that the widening gap between the rich and poor has triggered a “silent uprising.”

Pacquiao also reiterated his call to all Cebuanos for them to support a fellow “Bisaya” and one whose roots are from Cebu.

On Friday, Pacquiao is expected to island-hop in Bantayan, Camotes, Carnaza, and Olanggo before holding a grand rally at 3rd Avenue North Reclamation Area in Cebu City which was the same location of Mayor Isko Domagoso’s concert-rally Wednesday.

“Walang ibang magtutulungan kundi kaming mga Bisaya. Ako lang ang Bisaya na tumatakbo pagka-presidente kaya sa mga kapatid ko ma Bisaya, samahan niyo ako,” Pacquiao said in Visayan.

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