Press Release
February 16, 2016

SUSAN ROCES JOINS DAUGHTER GRACE IN ILOILO SORTIE

ILOILO--While legalists argue over her roots and natural-born status, leading presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe returned to her hometown in Iloilo Tuesday and vowed to return the kindness that was done to her by the people of the province when she was a child.

"Mga kababayan, alam ko baluktot ang aking Ilonggo. Ako ay lumaki sa Maynila, totoo 'yun pero ang nagpalaki sa akin at ang mga nakapaligid sa akin, maraming mga taga-dito at hindi ko makakalimutan na ako ay dito (sa Iloilo) natagpuan," Poe told supporters in Carles, where she was received by local officials.

Poe, a foundling who was abandoned at the Jaro Church, expressed gratitude to the Militars of Jaro for taking care of her while she was a toddler and for allowing her to be adopted by movie icons Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces, who gave her opportunities in life.

"Ako'y nagpapasalamat sa mga Militar at siyempre sa mga Rodriguez sapagkat sila talaga ay buong-pusong nagmamalasakit... Alam mo, ang pagiging magkamag-anak hindi lang naman sa dugo 'yan e. Minsan talagang sa malasakit rin e. Parang mas higit pa nga minsan sa sarili mong pamilya pagka tumutulong ang isang tao kaya ako'y taos-pusong nagpapasalamat," Poe said in a radio interview.

Siblings Junie and Teresa Rodriguez, who hail from Guimaras, had offered to undergo DNA tests, saying Poe could be their sister Victoria's daughter. The DNA tests turned out negative.

"Marami akong mga nanay pero yung nanay talaga na nagpalaki sa akin, na nag-aruga sa akin, si Susan," Poe said, adding her mother had taken a break from taping for her primetime teleserye "Ang Probinsiyano" to join the senator in Iloilo.

For the first time since Poe officially launched her campaign, Roces accompanied the senator on a provincial sortie, visiting public markets and defending Poe against those who claim she is not a natural-born Filipino because she was a foundling.

"Hindi ko mawari kung bakit nila sinasabi na hindi Filipino ang anak ko. Paano kaya siya naglanding dito?" Roces told reporters.

As she visited various cities in Iloilo, Poe reiterated that she was a daughter of the province, no matter what her critics say.

"Dito ako pinanganak sa Jaro. Ako talaga ay galing dito, at gusto kong malaman ng ating mga kababayan na kung ako'y mabibigyan ng pagkakataon, hindi ko sila kalilimutan," she said.

Poe said she would prioritize infrastructure projects in Iloilo, such as the Iloilo-Guimaras-Negros Bridge that will boost trade and tourism in the Western Visayas region.

"Kung ako'y magiging pangulo, talagang sisiguraduhin natin na ma-aprubahan na agad-agad. May pondo ang Iloilo to Guimaras, Guimaras to Negros na bridge," Poe said. "Ang aking mga proyekto na gagawin para sa Iloilo ay makakatulong na mas madagdagan pa ang trabaho at yung ating mga paaralan," she said.

Iloilo City delivered 121,783 votes for Poe in the 2013 senatorial elections, helping her top the senatorial race with more than 20 million votes, the highest ever received by any candidate for a national post.

"Tinuro sa akin ng aking nanay at ng aking tatay na ang isang tao ay hindi magtatagumpay kung hindi siya tumutulong sa kanyang kapwa. At kung siya'y nagtagumpay na, kailangan niyang unahin ang mga nangangailangan," Poe said.

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