Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama announced on September 7, 2021 his decision to run for the mayoralty position in the 2022 elections. | CDN Digital by Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama on Tuesday, September 7 announced his intentions to run once again for the city’s top position in the upcoming 2022 polls.
“I am announcing my desire to run as mayor under Partido Barug,” said Rama in a press conference on Tuesday.
Rama, however, did not disclose who would be his running mate and the rest of the lineup, saying that he does not want to preempt the decision of his party mates.
“I don’t want to be claiming (for the rest),” he added.
However, the vice mayor, who also happened to be the chairperson of Partido Barug, was tight-lipped when asked about his party’s census and on the possibility if he will give way again to incumbent Mayor Edgardo Labella.
“But how I wish it will always be my desire for Atty. Edgardo Labella (to be my running mate) if only circumstances will allow,” he explained.
Rama is the first local official to publicly announce his plans to vie for the mayoralty post.
Other politicians, like Councilors Philip Zafra and Donaldo ‘Dondon’ Hontiveros, earlier decided to run independently for the upcoming May 2022 elections.
Rama said he respected the two councilors over their decision.
Rama was first elected mayor of Cebu City in 2010 under the Osmeña-led Bando Osmeña Pandok Kauswagan (BOPK). He was reelected in 2013 but under Team Rama, the local political party he founded.
He lost the 2016 mayoralty bid against former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, head of the BOPK.
In 2019, Rama initially gunned for the position as mayor but gave way to Labella, who was vice mayor at that time, for Barug Team Rama that was eventually renamed Partido Barug.
The current vice mayor, on the other hand, begged off to comment regarding the party’s affiliations with the administration’s PDP-Laban that is experiencing political tension in the national scene.
“Let’s see how will things evolve,” said Rama. /rcg
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