It’s fist bumps not handshakes for Mandaue City pols

Mandaue City mayoral candidate and incumbent Mayor Jonas Cortes fist bump a vendor at the Mandaue City Public Market.

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Instead of the usual handshake, Mandaue City candidates for the May 2022 elections opted to greet residents and their supporters with a fist bump on the first day of the local campaign period on Friday, March 25, 2022.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) prohibited candidates from kissing, hugging, and handshaking the public. Taking selfies is also discouraged.

Team Mandaue led by Mayor Jonas Cortes, kicked off their campaign with a Holy Mass at the National Shrine of St. Joseph then proceeded, along with their supporters, to the Mandaue City Public Market to greet the vendors there.

Cortes is hopeful that his team will again achieve a landslide victory like in the 2019 election against the camp of former city mayor Luigi Quisumbing who is the current Deputy Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“Nakita namo nga nidagayday gyud ang mga proyekto, mga kaayuhan ngadto sa nagkalain-laing barangay, niabot gyud sa atoang mga kaigsuunang Mandauehanon, kani atoa gyung paningkamutan para wala gyuy makababag dinha sa konseho nga mahimo, nga unsay atoang damgo ug tinguha para sa dakbayan atoa gyung makab-ot,” said Cortes.

Bando Bag-ong Mandaue candidates open their campaign by visiting different sitios in Barangay Banilad.

Meanwhile, the opposition bloc Bando Bag-ong Mandaue led by mayoralty candidate former city councilor Atty Nilo “Olin” Seno visited various areas in Barangay Banilad. The camp was also joined by their supporters.

Seno said they wanted to visit the residents to show and remind them that the party is always there for them.

“Atoang gipaninguha nga atoang suot-suoton ang tibuok Siyudad sa Mandaue aron sa pagpaabot sa atoang mensahe nga atoang tumong ug tuyo mao gyud ang pag atiman sa katawhan, sa kanunay bisan sa pandemya ug sa Odette atoang gikab-ot ang katawhan atoang giatiman,” said Seno.

The Bando Bag-ong Mandaue is endorsing Uniteam’s presidential candidate Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio while Team Mandaue has yet to endorse national candidates. Cortes said the city is open to all presidential candidates.

The Team Mandaue and Bando Bag-ong Mandaue will hold their opening salvos on Friday evening at Jamestown open field beside Parkmall and in Sitio Lower Sampanguita Barangay Banilad respectively.     /rcg

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