Senators Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III and Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas II on Saturday filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for president and vice-president respectively at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday.

Hundreds of supporters clad in yellow shirts surrounded the vicinity of the poll body’s main office, holding placards and raising yellow lanterns, shouting “Pagbabago! Pag-asa! (Change! Hope!).”

Aquino and Roxas filed their COCs shortly after 11 a.m..

The LP’s senatorial candidates — former Senator Franklin Drilon, Congressmen Rozzano “Ruffy” Biazon, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, former Congressman Nereus Acosta, former Socio-economic Planning secretary Ralph Recto, and Sonia Roco, widow of the late presidential candidate Raul Roco — also filed their COCs.

Butch Abad, LP spokesman, told ANC that they are expecting to complete their 12-man senatorial ticket on Saturday.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña, who was supposed to be included in the LP senatorial ticket, filed his COC for senator on Friday as an independent.

The filing followed a 9 a.m. Mass at the Manila Cathedral and a short program held at a makeshift stage set up by the LP near the Comelec building.

Shalani Soledad, Aquino’s girlfriend, and the senator’s sisters, including actress and TV host Kris Aquino, went to the Comelec to show support for the LP’s presidential candidate.

“Good luck to Senator Noynoy and, of course, to Senator Mar and the whole Liberal Party. I hope the support from the people will not waver,” Soledad told ABS-CBN News in an interview.

She said she is willing to accompany Aquino in sorties once the campaign period starts. She added that she is willing to do anything to help the senator win his presidential bid.

Noynoy’s supporters launched a fund-raising drive for his campaign on Friday (November 27), the birthday of his late father and national hero Senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr..

The senator also answered some tough questions from Boto Mo Patrollers on Friday night, including what he plans to do with Hacienda Luisita and whether he is fit for the highest post of the land.

“Walang problema na i-transfer ang asset, basta walang utang… sa lupain,” Aquino said when asked about the sugar estate owned by the Aquino-Cojuangco clan.

The senator, the only son of the late senator and the late President Corazon Aquino, entered politics as representative of the 2nd District of Tarlac in 1998.

He ran for senator and won in the 2007 elections.

As a senator, he supported various bills including the Senate Bill 3121 or the Budget Control Act, which seeks to strengthen legislative oversight over executive spending.

Aquino held various positions in the Liberal party such as secretary-general and vice chairman. He is now the LP’s executive vice president.

He is an economics graduate at the Ateneo de Manila University.

-abscbnnews