POE: TIME FOR CHANGE UNDER GOBYERNONG MAY PUSO

Marching on to Central Luzon, leading presidential contender Sen. Grace Poe brought her campaign to vote-rich Nueva Ecija and laid down her agenda for change that will prioritize the needs of the agriculture and education sectors.

Poe, who was the No. 1 senator in the provincial capital of Cabanatuan in 2013, said that unlike other candidates, she delivers on her promises, and her work in the Senate will attest to that.

"Mga kababayan, sinasabi nila ang mga pulitiko ay nangangako lamang kapag panahon ng halalan. Ibahin nila kami. Noong ako ay lumapit sa inyo noong 2013, ang mga ipinangako ko ay aming isinulong sa Senado. Lahat po iyan para mga bills o mga batas na makakatulong sa mga magsasaka," Poe told a crowd of some 4,000 people during the political rally of Partido Galing at Puso.

On the second week of the campaign, Poe gave another promise to the people: "Isa pong pangako sa alaala ng aking ama na aalagaan namin kayo. Kaya nga Gobyernong may Puso, hindi pwedeng galing lang, hindi pwedeng tapang lang na walang katarungan. Kinakailangan, tunay na malasakit para ang programa na mararamdaman ninyo ang siyang aming ipapatupad."

If she wins the presidency, Poe said her government will prioritize agriculture and education, vowing to give free irrigation service for farmers and scholarships for students from pre-school to college.

Nueva Ecija, known as the Rice Granary of the Philippines, relies heavily on agriculture for its local economy. However, it is suffering from the impacts of El Niño, with around 12,558 hectares of land in the province affected by the extended dry spell.

Poe said Filipinos, especially those in the rural areas, have been so patient and forbearing for so long.

"Ma-pasensiya tayo. Pero, tama na rin siguro ang pagpapasensiya natin," the senator said, drawing cheers from the crowd. "Maraming puwedeng gawin para tulungan ang ating mga kababayan sa ating bansa. Kami ay naka-sentro para matulungan ang mahihirap. Ang programa sa agrikultura ay napaka-halaga."

"Napakatagal na nating nagtitiis sa kung sino na lang ang ilalagay natin diyan. Importante hindi lamang ang pangulo ang magaling, kung hindi ang mga pipiliin niya na mamumuno na tutulong sa inyo sa lahat ng departamento," Poe said, rallying support for Partido Galing at Puso.

Poe and her running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero, who also leads vice-presidential surveys, visited Cabanatuan with the senatorial candidates running under their coalition Partido Galing at Puso.

Poe also spoke in a consultation with senior citizens in La Benue early afternoon.

"Wala kaming partido pero mayroon kaming samahan at iisa lang ang aming pakay. Na mapaglingkuran kayo nang tapat, na hindi kayo pagnakawan at higit sa lahat, na ibigay sa inyo ang nararapat," said Poe, who topped the 2013 senatorial race with a record-breaking 20 million votes.

Nueva Ecija has 1.3 million voters. Poe was the top pick of voters in its capital, Cabanatuan, during the senatorial elections, with more than 80,000 Cabanatuan voters casting their ballot for her.