Osmeña-led BO-PK backs 5 senatorial candidates

Brothers Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is seeking reelection, and Sergio “Serge” III, who wants to make a comeback in the Senate, wave at their supporters during the proclamation rally of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan at the Cebu City Sports Complex on March 30, 2019.| CDND Photo/Delta Dyrecka Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Five senatorial candidates in the midterm elections in May, including Cebu’s own Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III,  got the backing of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) and joined Cebu City’s administration slate during the local party’s proclamation rally on Saturday night, March 30, at the Cebu City Sports Complex.

Independent candidates  Serge and Senator Grace Poe and Senators Cynthia Villar of Nationalista Party (NP) and Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) stood on stage side-by-side with Cebu City’s BO-PK candidates led by reelectionist Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

BO-PK has also announced that it is backing the senatorial bid of former presidential special assistant Christopher “Bong” Go but the latter, who is in the senatorial slate of PDP-Laban,  a close friend of President Rodrigo Duterte and backed by Osmena’s political opponents in Barug-PDP-Laban, was not able to attend the BO-PK rally.

He sent instead celebrity Ai-ai Delas Alas to speak for him in the rally. She delivered a message from the senatorial candidate who promised to bring the Duterte-brand of service to the Senate.

Serge Osmeña, the older brother of the mayor, said he was “very confident” that his fellow Cebuanos would return him to the Senate.

“What more can I say, I am proven and tested by the Filipinos and especially the Cebuanos,” he said.

Osmeña, who authored the Solo Parent Act, said that Cebuanos can expect the same brand of service he has given over the years.

“Hangyo lang nako, ibalik ko sa Senado,” said Serge, who lost his Senate reelection bid in 2016.

Senator Grace Poe, who is seeking reelection as an independent candidate, speaks during the proclamation rally of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, a local party led by reelectionist Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, at the Cebu City Sports Complex on March 30, 2019. |CDND Photo/Delta Dyrecka Letigio

 Poe, who is seeking reelection as an independent, promised to focus more on infrastructures for Cebu City if she gets voted once again into the Senate.

She said that Cebu’s economic boom has far outgrown its infrastructures, which she promised to help address should be get a fresh term.

Poe said she is thankful for the support of the Cebuanos despite her being an independent candidate.

She told the crowd that they have to vote not only for the administration’s senatorial slate but also for independent candidates like her and those from the opposition.

“Kailangan natin ng check and balance sa Senado. Kailangan natin ng may magsasalita para sa tao,” she said.

Cynthia Villar

Villar said that with her friendship with incumbent Mayor Tomas Osmeña, she is already at home in Cebu City.

Villar was the sole national official invited by Osmeña for the Sinulog 2019 last January.

“Pabalik-balik na ako dito kaya malaki ang pagpapasalamat ko sa mga Cebuano sa suporta,” she said.

Villar was confident that with BOPK’s endorsement, the 700,000 voters of Cebu City will guarantee her another term in the Senate.

In return, she promised to prioritize livelihood programs especially in relation to garbage recycling, farming, and fisheries.

Angara, on the other hand,  led the raising of the hands of the BO-PK candidates,  including Mayor Osmeña and running mate Mary Anne De los Santos, and reelectionist Cebu City North District Representative Raul Del Mar.

Angara, one of the authors of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, said that there is no need to stop the implementation of the law since the inflation rate has gone down from six percent to three percent.

He said that the implementation need only to be monitored carefully in order to identify any necessary amendments.

If reelected, Angara promised to push for the establishment of a better mass transportation for Cebu whether it may be the Bus Rapid Transit or Light Railway Transit to respond to the transport needs of over a million people residing and working in Cebu City alone.

Angara added that he was grateful that BO-PK is supporting his candidacy.

“Maliit lang kami sa LDP pero dahil kay Mayor Osmeña at sa (alliance with) BOPK, naging importante kami,” he said. /elb