Alyansa senatorial bets optimistic about Cebuanos’ support

Governor Gwen Garcia posed for a photo with the Alyansa senatorial bets during the caravan in Sogod, Cebu on April 11. | Photo from One Cebu

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The senatorial bets of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas are optimistic that Cebuanos will vote for them in the upcoming midterm elections this year.

At least four senatorial candidates joined the One Cebu party caravan in northern Cebu on April 11, where they were endorsed by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

The candidates were former senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Congresswoman Camille Villar, and former senator Manny Pacquiao — all of whom have already been endorsed by Garcia.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Lacson expressed hope that Cebuanos would support them, especially since they share the same vision for strengthening local government units.

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“Hopefully, kasi nga, I for one — and this is shared by many of the Alyansa senatorial candidates — believe that we should really strengthen the local government units in terms of funding and budget. Kaya nga ako (That’s why), I’m very appreciative of Executive Order 82 signed and issued by President [Ferdinand] Marcos [Jr.], enhancing and strengthening the Regional Development Councils,” Lacson said.

Meanwhile, in his speech in Liloan, Cebu, Pacquiao said that despite having his own party-list, he chose not to campaign for it in Cebu out of respect for One Cebu’s Ako Bisaya Party-list.

“Ug kana, gina-awhag nako kamo tanan nga kana inyong party-list, inyong suportahan. Magkahiusa mo kay kanang party-list ninyo, og mudaog, diri man gihapon sa inyo paingon ang project ana,” Pacquiao said.

(And with that, I encourage all of you to support your party-list. Unite because if your party-list wins, the projects will still go to you here.)

With Cebu’s support, Pacquiao vowed to continue promoting his projects for the poor, such as his pabahay program.

Sotto, in his speech, echoed his support for the needs of local government units, citing some of his enacted laws including the Doktor Para sa Bayan law, which offers free medical scholarships to Filipinos.

The caravan began in Liloan with a mass at around 9 a.m. at the Panphil C. Frasco Memorial Sports Complex.

One Cebu’s northern caravan is a two-day event. The first day covers Liloan, Carmen, Catmon, Sogod, the City of Bogo, and Madridejos. The second day will cover Bantayan, Santa Fe, Tabogon, Compostela, and Consolacion.

In total, Garcia has backed eight senatorial candidates under the administration-aligned Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas, including Senators Pia Cayetano, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino, and former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos.

Revilla and Cayetano are expected to join on the second day, April 12. /clorenciana