The full slate of the ruling party, Alayon, headed by Rhea Gullas, who is vying for the mayoral post in Talisay City, and Richard Francis “Choy” Aznar, who is running for vice mayor, file their certificates of candidacy at the Talisay City Comelec Office on Friday, October 8, 2021. | Mae Fhel Gom-os
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The wife of incumbent Talisay City Mayor Gerard Anthony “Samsam” Gullas is seeking the city’s mayoral post in the 2022 elections.
The full slate of Alayon Party, headed by Rhea Gullas, and incumbent City Councilor Richard Francis “Choy” Aznar, who is running for vice mayor, filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) at the Talisay City COMELEC Office on Friday morning, October 8, 2021.
Gullas, who was accompanied by the incumbent mayor, said that she initially planned to run as a city councilor, but eventually changed her mind after barangay captains in Talisay City allegedly urged her to run for mayor.
“First of all, magpasalamat gyud ko sa atoang mga barangay captains kay sa tinud-anay lang sila man gyud ang ni reach nako para modagan. With their full support, it’s the 22 out of 22 barangay captains gyud nga nagpaluyo nako ug nagsuporta gyud. Kay honestly the plan was modagan ko pagka konsehal, but I guess lahi gyud ang plan sa Ginoo para sa amoang pamilya,” she said.
When asked about her programs, Gullas said that Talisaynons are very supportive of her husband’s “Aksyon Agad” program that’s why she is inclined to continue it.
Aksyon Agad, according to Samsam’s 2019 report, means a government that is willing to go the extra mile for its people, bringing its services closer to them.
“First of all, nakauyon man gyud ang mga tawo aning Aksyon Agad under the administration ni Samsam, so ato gyud ng ipadayon ang Aksyon Agad. But for me, there’s going to be a little twist, it’s going to be Akyon Agad but with a woman’s and a mother’s touch,” she said.
“Ang akoa gyung pinakabug-at para nako is I want a womb-to-tomb program, means ang programa nga naa kas tiyan hantod sa kuhaon kas kahitas-an, naay programa ang atoang siyudad sa Talisay,” Gullas added.
Aznar, for his part, said that he was grateful for incumbent First District Representative Eduardo Gullas, who heads the Alayon Party, as well as the Gullas couple for their trust.
“Tungod tingali nga sud sa siyam ka tuig nga nahimo tang konsehal sa syudad sa Talisay, duha ka termino niana nahimo tang majority floor leader sa atong siyudad sa Talisay. After niana, natudlo ta nga consultant ni Mayor sa barangay affairs, so pipila ka tuig ato gyud napakita ang atong sensiro, binut-an nga panerbisyo dinhi sa atong syudad,” he said.
“Wa nako damha nga maabot ang panahon nga karon, sa akong partido ila sad ko gisuportaran kuyog sa mga kapitan, kuyog sa atong Mayor ug dako nakong pasalamat nga karon nidagan ta pagkabise mayor kuyog sa atong Mayor Rhea Gullas,” Aznar added.
Talking about programs, Aznar said that should he be elected as vice mayor, he would focus more on improving the city’s health programs, stressing that since he assumed office as city councilor, he was the one who managed a hospital in Cebu City.
“Ug mao pud na paglingkod nato isip konsehal, ato gyud nang gipalig-on ug gipanghingusgan ang programa sa panglawas. Ug ako naglaum nga sa atong pagbalik labi na gyud sa atong sitwasyon karon sa pandemya nga ato gyud mapadayon, mapalambo nato ang programa sa panglawas,’ Aznar added.
Samsam, who is running for Cebu First District Representative, said that they will wait for the guidelines from the Comelec for their campaign.
“As far as pamaagi sa kampanya, I think we have to wait for Comelec guidelines regarding that. But moving forward, we will just show what Aksyon Agad services is all about here in the city of Talisay, and we’ll start from there,” said the Mayor.
The full slate of Alayon Party, which is also aligned with the Nationalista Party, includes city councilor aspirants Ofelia Biaño Ylanan, Ferdinand Licos Rabaya, Rodolfo Lastimosa Cabigas, Eduardo III Retardo Gullas, Alito Deiparine Bacaltos, Manuel Cabañero Cabriana, Danilo Famulagan Caballero, Marc Arthur Igloria Bas, Lester Labajo Daan, and Gail Sabido Restauro.
City Hall employees were seen cheering outside the Talisay City Comelec after the full slate of the ruling party filed their COCs while other supporters gathered outside the city hall to show their support. /rcg
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