President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has modified his campaign rally chant following the withdrawal of his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, from the administration’s senatorial lineup.
Previously, during rallies of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, Marcos ended his speeches with the chant, “Labingdalawa, Alyansa!”—a nod to the full 12-member Senate slate. But during a campaign stop following Imee’s departure, Marcos rallied supporters with a new chant: “Alyansa all the way!”
“Kaya sa Mayo po, ‘wag na kayong magdalawang-isip. Alyansa all the way! Alyansa sa Bagong Pilipinas!” he declared.
This marked the first rally without Imee on the slate. The senator recently announced her decision to leave the administration ticket, citing differences in principles, especially over how the administration handled the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Alyansa campaign manager and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco acknowledged Imee’s departure, saying, “We respect her decision and wish her luck,” while affirming the group’s focus on the remaining 11 candidates.
“Ang kampanya tuloy-tuloy lang. Makikita sa track record ng aming labing-isang kandidato ang kanilang kakayanan at kwalipikasyon,” Tiangco said.
Former Senator Panfilo Lacson also wished Imee well, but lightened the moment with a joke about the change in chant.
“Labing-isa na lang kami, pero we still wish Senator Imee all the best,” he said, quipping that rapper Andrew E might need to adjust his pre-program cheer. “Ang may mas problema sa amin, si Andrew E. ‘Pag sinabi kong Alyansa, sabihin niyo labing-isa,’” he said with a laugh.
Rapper Andrew E regularly performs before Marcos delivers his speeches and leads the rally crowd in the chant.
