FORMER Cebu City Mayor Alvin Garcia will be running for congress, saying it’s about time the city’s north district get a new representative.
Garcia, who is running under Team Rama, will be challenging incumbent north district Rep. Raul del Mar in next year’s elections.
Garcia was presented, with the complete slate of Team Rama, for next year’s elections yesterday morning during a program at the Fort San Pedro.
He criticized the Del Mars’ long-time service in the north district as well as some of their projects.
Garcia said he will focus on legislation and revisit old laws that have put Cebu City at a disadvantage.
“I will basically be a mambabalaod (legislator). I don’t want to just build overpasses for personal gain, skywalks without consulting the city or the people within the city who have a stake in these roads. I want to be a legislator. I want to submit new laws for the betterment of the city,” Garcia told reporters in a press conference after Team Rama’s presentation.
Del Mar represented the north district from 1987 until 1998 and was elected for another three consecutive terms from 2001 to 2010. He returned for his first term during the 2013 elections.
While Del Mar has been with the north district congressional seat for a long time, Garcia has been focused in the entire Cebu City.
Garcia was first elected as Cebu City Vice Mayor in 1998 and served for seven years before being elected mayor in 1995 until 2001.
With their complete line-up bared, Mayor Michael Rama said they are optimistic in finally getting the majority of seats in the city council. Rama’s running mate is incumbent Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella.
The group’s candidates for councilors in the north district are Jun Alcover, Ramil Ayuman, Raymond Garcia, Joel Garganera, Jerry Guardo, Edwin Jagmoc, JP Labella and Noel Wenceslao.
For the south district, the group’s council bets include Hanz Abella, James Anthony Cuenco, Joey Daluz, Lotlot Ignacio-Soon, Junjun Osmeña, Joy Pesquera, Edu Rama and David Tumulak.
Incumbent councilor Gerardo Carillo will run as south district representative.
Mayor Rama said they chose to have the presentation at the Fort San Pedro due to its historical significance.
“The Fort is a defense and Team Rama will always be in defense,” Rama told reporters.
Aside from the candidates, Rama also presented former South District Rep. Antonio Cuenco as the chairman emeritus of their party, which is named Partido Panaghiusa sa Panerbisyo – Team Rama – United Nationalist Alliance (PPP-TRUNA).
Former Cebu City Councilor Procopio “Coping” Fernandez is the party’s vice chairman emeritus.