BACACAY, Albay – As if to taunt his former boss, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has promised President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that he will deliver not less than 1.6 million votes for Liberal Party standard bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in the province alone.

“I am working on it. Every barangay already has its quota. That’s the way we work. We always try to make the next administration beholden to the province, Salceda, a former economic adviser of Arroyo, said during a press conference here Monday.

“1.6 million is the minimum, that is basically equal to 60 percent because 6 percent is the average number out of 3.2 million registered voters so that is 0.86 plus .6…but I really want to hit 1.8 million,” Salceda boasted.

At the same time, Salceda expressed his optimism that Aquino is set to become the country's first majority President since the return of democracy in 1986.

"A landslide victory of Noynoy Aquino probably offers the best prospect for the Philippine economy," he said.

In addition, asked about Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s endorsement of a vice-presidential candidate from another party, Salceda said he is confident his personal campaigning for Aquino and Roxas will have more impact on voters on Election Day than Escudero’s well-funded advertising campaign.

“Our difference (between him and Chiz) is that I have a working political machinery and my barangay officials can work on the voters more effectively than his advertisement,” he said.

Salceda, who is running unopposed for governor of Albay province, also pointed out the LP has strong support in the region because Bicolanos have always “voted yellow,” citing the strong sentiment among the people for the legacy of the late President Corazon Aquino.

He said a strong tradition among Bicolanos to vote “yellow” every election and a strong ground campaign would deliver a solid Bicolano vote on May 10 to Aquino and Roxas.

Salceda, the new LP chairman charged with managing the campaign for the party in the region, gave the confident assessment as Aquino and Roxas barnstormed the Bicol region in the final leg of their campaign for the top elective posts in the May 10 national elections.