Mayor firmly in Binay’s camp as charter member of UNA

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama (back turned) is greeted by Vice President Jejomar Binay (center). With them is Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco of Navotas City during an UNA gathering. (Contributed Photo/Office of the Vice President)

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama now has a national party to back his final  reelection bid in 2016.

Rama yesterday confirmed that he was  appointed by Vice President Jejomar Binay as a chartered member of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party.

The appointment was made in last Wednesday’s organizational meeting held at the Century Park Hotel in Manila.   Vice Mayor Edgar Labella was with him.

Rama said his affiliation with the national opposition party would  strengthen Team Rama’s reelection bid in 2016.

Rama joined UNA which was then a coalition  of national parties when he sought reelection last year.

The Liberal Party (LP) where he used to belong  chose to support former congressman Tomas Osmeña as their mayoral candidate in 2013, an election he lost to Rama.

More to come

The mayor and Vice mayor Edgar Labella were in Manila last Wednesday to attend the UNA organizational meeting.

In a phone interview, Rama said Vice President inay approached him during the meeting and asked if he wanted to become a charter member of their national party.

In his phone interview with City Hall reporters, Rama was vague about  his new duties as a charter member. He was  asked if this meant he would be UNA’s chapter head in Cebu city or province for the next election.

“I do not want to be claiming kay naa pa mi sa (we are still in the) organizational activities,” Rama said.

He said more political developments are to be expected at  the local level in the days ahead.

He said former Cebu City Councilor Jose Daluz III, a Rama ally, is helping set up a regional political group to prepare for 2016.