An Ilocano woman hugs presidential bet Senator Grace Poe during her campaign sortie in Ilocos Norte. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.NET
Batac, Ilocos Norte鈥擨t was a moment of chaos for market vendors here when presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe came shook their hands and gave some of them a hug.
鈥淎ng cute, cute n鈥檡a (She is so cute)!鈥� a female vendor exclaimed when Poe arrived at the Batac public market around 8:00 a.m.
Most of the market vendors had to leave their stalls just to get near the senator, shake her hands, hug her or take a selfie with her.
READ: Poe arrives in Ilocos Norte for campaign activities
鈥淧arang naiiyak na ako sa kaligayahan (I feel like I want to cry out of happiness),鈥� said an old woman, who claimed to be from Pangasinan.
The woman refused to categorically say whom she would vote for president in May but indicates that it would be Poe.
鈥淗indi ko alam. Ngayon alam ko na (Before, I did not know. Now, I do),鈥� she said.
鈥淏asta ang lakas ng kutob ko鈥� po! (Poe) (My instinct is telling me this),鈥� she said in jest.
Aside from waving her hands to hugging the vendors, Poe also sampled some of Ilocos鈥� most popular street food: empanada and carioca.
Senator Grace Poe samples some of Ilocos鈥� most popular delicacies. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.NET
One of her senatorial bets, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, later joined her at the market that made more female vendors giggle.
Using a megaphone, Poe and Moreno thanked the vendors before leaving the market.
鈥淎ko鈥檡 nagpapasalamat sa inyong mainit na pagtanggap lalong-lalo na noong ako鈥檡 bata pa lang, lagi kaming nagbabakasyon ng aking tatay noong ginagawa n鈥檡a ang pelikulang 鈥楶anday鈥︹�欌�� Poe said, referring to her late father, action king Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ).
(I want to thank you for your very warm welcome, especially because when I was still young, my dad and I would always vacation here when he was still filming 鈥淧anday.鈥�)
READ: Grace Poe reprises FPJ: 鈥楶uno na ang salop鈥�
鈥淢araming salamat muli. Napakasarap ng pagkain dito (Thank you again! The food here is delicious)鈥︹�� she added.
Senator Grace Poe pays a visit to Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.NET
After leaving the market, Poe and Moreno held a motorcade and made a short stop at Batac City hall where they were welcomed by Governor Imee Marcos and Batac Mayor Jeffrey Nalupta. IDL
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