Cortes: Presidential bet is not my priority, my focus is on Mandaue’s problems

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino (file photo)

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes still does not have a presidential bet as of the moment.

Cortes said that he did not really think of it and it was not his focus as they were focusing on how to address the city’s issues and problems.

He said they are still figuring out how to revive the economy after what COVID-19 and super typhoon Odette brought to the city.

“Dili na nako focus. Ang ako mahaw-as ta aning COVID-19 ug Odette because we lost a lot of opportunities. Daghan gyud kaayo major projects aligned nahunong tungod sa pagrealign (budget) nato,” said Cortes.

(That is not my focus. My main concern is to get us out of the COVID-19 and Odette situation because we lost a lot of opportunities. There are a lot of major projects that have been aligned that have been stopped because we have to realign (the budget).)

Cortes, though, admitted that there were already national candidates that courted him and wanted to be endorsed.

He said Mandauehanons were intelligent voters and that they would know who would be deserving to be elected.

He also said he was sick and tired of jumping from one party to another.

He believed that local officials should align or support whoever would win as the next president.

Cortes was a former member of Liberal Party and is part of PDP Laban.

However, he said it was too early to decide if he would be endorsing national candidates or not especially since the local election campaign would start this March 25.

Cortes said he was confident with the support of Mandauehanons.

Cortes with other TEAM Mandaue namely incumbent Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede, Cebu sixth district representative, Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon and incumbent city councilors Nerissa, Soon-Ruiz, Malcolm Sanchez, Jimmy Lumapas, Cynthia Cinco-Remedio, Immaline Cortes-Zafra, Cesar “Ting Sol” Cabahug Jr., Jesus Jun Arcilla, Joel Seno, Andreo Ouano-Icalina, Jen Del Mar, daughter of the late city councilor Carmelino Del Mar Jr., incumbent Casuntingan Barangay Captain Oscar “Oca” Del Castillo and incumbent Barangay Tingub chieftain Mario Bihag are seeking reelection.

Team Mandaue’s opponent is the Bag-ong Mandaue headed by former city councilor Atty. Nilo “Olin” Seno and former PBA player Elmer Cabahug running as vice mayor.

Mandaue Lone District Law will be implemented in the this year’s election that would mean that the city will have 12 city councilors from 10 councilors and its own congresswoman.

RELATED STORIES

Significant drop in positivity rate noted in Mandaue City

Mandaue EOC reports positivity rate 16 times higher than December 

Mandaue logs lowest COVID-19 positivity rate since January

Cebu City posts lowest positivity rate for 2021

/dbs