(l to r) Yogi Felimon Ruiz and Atty. Leandro B. Verceles Jr., the national president of PFP. | CDN Digital photo / Josh Almonte
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Mayoral aspirant Yogi Felimon Ruiz is now part of the political party of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Ruiz took his oath as a member of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) on Monday, April 1.
Atty. Leandro B. Verceles Jr., the national president of PFP, said that he checked Ruiz’s background and he found that he was very qualified to be their party’s mayoral bet in Cebu City.
READ: Yogi Ruiz plans to form own political party
“Hindi lang siya dating hepe ng Customs dito sa Cebu City eh. Siya galing sa mahirap eh. He was, nagumpisa siya as a waiter, naging salesman. Eh, gusto ko yung ganyan eh, yung galing sa mahirap sa posisyon na talagang parang akala mo hangang diyan lang siya. Umangat siya eh,” said Verceles.
Verceles also said that he saw all the qualifications of a good leader in Ruiz which was why he was easily nominated to be the party’s official bet in Cebu City.
READ: If he gets elected, Yogi Ruiz warns drug traders to leave Cebu City
Central Visayas chairman
Meanwhile, Ruiz has expressed his appreciation for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s support.
Together with his party membership, Ruiz was also appointed at the PFP chairman in Central Visayas.
READ: Yogi Ruiz, mayoral aspirant, says ‘Cebu City has been neglected, has deteriorated’
However, Ruiz pointed out that his membership in PFP does not necessarily guarantee his victory in the May 2025 midterm polls.
“Parti sa. If this is an edge? No, this is not an edge. This is just something that provides me a legal backing nga naay national party backing me up for this coming elections [in] May 2025,” said Ruiz.
Best city in the country
Ruiz said in an earlier interview that he decided to run for mayor in next year’s elections because of his dream to make Cebu City the best city in the country.
But he is yet to announce other members of his slate as he continue to look for individuals who share in his goals.
Ruiz is the former Central Visayas director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Central Visayas.
He also served as the agency’s director in regions 4A, 6, 12, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
On July 20, 2022, Ruiz took his oath as the Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs after having been appointed by Marcos. /with reports from Futch Anthony Inso