Ako Bicol kicks off campaign with grand rally

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

LEGAZPI CITY --- The home-grown Bicolano partylist, Ako Bicol, launched the first salvo of its campaign with a grand rally at Sawangan Park in Legazpi City on Friday evening, marking the start of the campaign period for senatorial and partylist groups.

The grand rally featured a concert led by its new ambassador, actor Jericho Rosales, who replaced Ako Bicol’s original endorser, veteran actor Eddie Garcia, following his passing.

During the event, Farida “Diday” Co, a vice gubernatorial candidate in Albay, represented her elder brother, Ako Bicol Partylist founder Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co.

Ako Bicol was founded by Bicolano business tycoon Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co of the Sunwest Group of Companies more than a decade ago, following the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Reming in 2006. The typhoon was the strongest to hit the Bicol Region, particularly Albay province, in the past 18 years.

Ako Bicol’s second nominee, lawyer Alfredo “Pido” Garbin, the current mayor of Legazpi, said that the partylist is advocating for tourism infrastructure projects, the construction of a cruise ship terminal, and the completion of the so-called legacy hospital, currently being built within the compound of the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center, formerly the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital.

Garbin noted that in its 15 years of existence, Ako Bicol has initiated numerous development projects in the region and is pushing for more, including the conversion of the 40,000-hectare old airport into a new economic zone.

Ako Bicol Rep. Jil Bongalon, who is running as a representative for the first district of Albay against Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman, was also present at the rally.

Ako Bicol is among the partylist groups identified by Kontra Daya as not belonging to marginalized sectors, being run instead by political clans, big-time businessmen, and political dynasties.

The grand rally also served as a pre-campaign event for Ako Bicol’s political allies running for congressional positions in the second district, as well as gubernatorial, vice gubernatorial, mayoral, and councilor posts in Legazpi City for the upcoming May 12 local elections.

Among those present were outgoing second district Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, who is running for governor of Albay, and his running mate, Diday Co, the younger sister of Rep. Zaldy Co. Also in attendance were former AKB lawmaker Christopher Co, who is running for the second district congressional seat in Albay; Legazpi City mayoral candidate Hisham Ismael and his running mate, Councilor Luis Gutierrez.

At least 6 partylist groups from Bicol are vying for the more than 4 million Bicolano votes in the upcoming May 12, 2025 midterm elections.

The existing partylist groups in Bicol include Ako Bicol, BHW, 1-Rider, Bicol Saro, COOP-NATCCO, Ang Probinsyano, and Agri Partylist.