(Reuters) — Presidential candidate Grace Poe was swamped by supporters and journalists as she cast her ballot in Manila on Monday (May 9) for the national elections.
Poe stood in line outside the polling station before going inside the building to vote.
Poe, a senator, is seen as the most likely candidate to challenge the hard-talking mayor Rodrigo Duterte who has dominated in the last opinion polls.
Poe’s pro-poor platform has resonated among Filipinos, as has her life story: abandoned at a church as a baby and adopted by movie stars.
Speaking after casting her vote Poe said she was feeling positive.
“I am confident because I know we have a lot of supporters that continue to have confidence in me, and I am encouraging you to continue to vote today,” she said.
“I am willing. We need to be able to accept what the majority wants,” she added when asked if she would be prepared to work in a government run by Duterte if he were to win.
More than half of the Southeast Asian country’s population of 100 million people are registered as voters for Monday’s election to choose a president, vice president, 300 lawmakers and about 18,000 local government officials.