Some 400 Filipinos from London and past took to the enduring courtyard to indicate help for Leni Robredo, the present vice-president, operating for presidency, and teammate Kiko Pangilinan. INQUIRER/ML Alcantara
LONDON, UK — Pink balloons, hopeful slogans and fingers formed into “L” and coronary heart indicators waved tirelessly towards blue skies on the iconic Marble Arch, one of many capital’s most recognizable landmarks, final Sunday twentieth March.
Gathered for London’s Leni-Kiko “Kakampinks” rally, a British extension of the tens of 1000’s that gathered at Emerald Avenue, Pasig Metropolis on the identical day, round 400 Filipinos from London and past took to the enduring courtyard to indicate help for Leni Robredo, the present vice-president, operating for presidency, and teammate Kiko Pangilinan, within the upcoming election this Could 2022.
On the identical day, separate rallies came about at Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Sq. for fellow candidates Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sarah Duterte, respectively.
Fittingly, the situation of Marble Arch, which stands on the northeast nook of Hyde Park, is located proper beside the historic “Audio system’ Nook,” an space historically designated for open-air debate, dialogue and public talking.
There are a selection of comparable areas designated as Audio system’ Corners throughout London, together with Clapham Frequent and Victoria Park. Nonetheless, Hyde Park stays essentially the most well-known.
For the reason that mid 1800s, when protests started going down extra steadily in Hyde Park, quite a few world well-known figures resembling Karl Marx, George Orwell, the Suffragettes and Vladimir Lenin typically used the world to exhibit freedom of speech and expound their sociopolitical views.
British parliament formally designated this a part of Hyde Park for public talking in 1872. Right this moment, anyone is welcome to show up unannounced to talk on any topic of their selecting, so long as the police deem their speeches lawful.
Drawing curiosity from passers-by, vacationers and locals alike, the six-hour rally was hosted by Genevieve Aquino, Mira Batoy Edgcombe, April Gadayan, Stephen Doliente and extra, and concerned singing, dancing, speeches, literary readings and prayers, all underscored by nationwide pleasure.
Hosts offered translations into English for non-Tagalog audio system within the crowd as candy treats resembling pink pandesal had been distributed by native supporters.
Fittingly, the situation of Marble Arch, which stands on the northeast nook of Hyde Park, is located proper beside the historic “Audio system’ Nook,” an space historically designated for open-air debate, dialogue and public talking. INQUIRER/ML Alcantara
This system additionally featured a transferring speech by Grant Gannaban-O’Neill on behalf of the Filipino LGBTQ+ neighborhood within the UK, plus quite a few authentic readings by award-winning media present Juan EU Konek’s co-anchor and author, Gene Alcantara [Disclosure–this reporter’s father], together with his current poem “Kay Leni, Diwata.”
‘Kay Leni, Diwata’ was initially revealed in international anthology ‘100 Pink Poems Para Kay Leni’ (San Anselmo Press) alongside fellow creatives together with Rio Alma, Krip Yuson, Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta, Gemino H. Abad and Mila B. Aguilar.
Following the rally, MC and organizer Genevieve Aquino expressed her pleasure and giddiness on the prospect of Leni-Kiko taking workplace. She stated: “That is the primary time I don’t should vote for the ‘lesser evil’.”
Referring to the impression that the pink show of help had on the British public in the course of the occasion, Aquino added: “I actually hope that after this rally the UK can see what Filipinos are actually like, what we stand for, and simply how a lot hope we have now.” — Melissa Legarda @illumelation
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