Sara kicks off national bike caravan

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Hundreds of people trooped to the highways of Tagum City, Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro to personally meet Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who kicked off yesterday the longest and biggest bike ride of her life as she embarked on a month-long national caravan dubbed “Mahalin Natin Ang Pilipinas Ride Inday Sara Duterte” that will take her from Davao City to various parts of the country.

“I am very thankful for the warm welcome of the people who came out along the highway to meet us. We now have the chance to talk to them and listen to their concerns even if our schedule for the ride today has been a bit delayed,” Carpio, who is running for vice president in the May 9 polls.

She said she never expected how the people welcomed her group, with some even giving her bouquet of flowers and stuffed toys.

Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. and former senator Jinggoy Estrada joined Carpio’s group on a big bike ride themselves.

International evangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Jesus Christ the Name Above Every Name prayed over and blessed the mayor’s group before they left Davao City at 5 a.m. yesterday.

Carpio said the caravan is a way by which the Inday Sara for Vice President movement can reach out to the people all over the country without resorting to mass gatherings in compliance with health protocols implemented by the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

“This will be a touch-and-go caravan, but no mass gathering. This will take us from Davao City to the eastern board of the country and going to the north in Luzon and back to Davao City, passing by the western side this time, which will be the entire loop that we will be taking,” she added.

The presidential daughter, who has been a long-time bike enthusiast like her father, noted that their group will also deliver flags to the people along the way to remind the people that everyone should get involved in helping the country get up from the problems brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent calamities, such as the onslaught of Typhoon Odette. –  Edu Punay