Bato visits Duljo fire victims; solicits Cebuanos support

As an expression of sympathy for his fellow Bisaya, former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa visited fire victims in Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City to distribute relief goods. / Rosalie Abatayo

CEBU CITY, Philippines –  Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa this morning (January 6) visited families in Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City that were affected by the Christmas Day and the January 5 fires to distribute relief goods contained in plastic pails.

Each of the 620 families now accommodated at the barangay gymnasium received noodles, sardines, a kilo of rice and detergent bar from Dela Rosa, who is one of the administration camp’s senatorial bets.

“Ang akoa makatabang-tabang lang ni og ginagmay ba. Sa ginaingon na, mas lisod ning masunogan kaysa mabahaan. Kung mabahaan, inig human sa baha mapunit pa nimo imong mga gamit. Kung masunogan, dili,” Dela Rosa said.

(I just wanted to help even in my own little way. As the saying goes, it is always better to be a flood victim than to be a fire victim. When it floods, you still get to recover your belongings after the flood has subsided. But you are unable to save anything when your house starts to burn.)

Dela Rosa arrived at the Duljo Fatima gymnasium at 10:30 a.m. and addressed the fire victims before he started to distribute the relief goods which he brought for them.

Before his three-minute speech ended, dela Rosa told the crowd “Bisaya na pud! (Choose a Cebuano).”

He also sang “You are the reason.”

The tagline “Bisaya na pud!” was first used during the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte to urge the electorate to choose a “Bisaya” for the country’s top position.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who attended the gathering, also asked Duljo families to choose two Visayans — dela Rosa and former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go – for senator./dcb