Local candidates take a break
One Cebu campaign starts March 27, LP on March 28, Team Rama on March 29
Local candidates will take a two-day respite from campaigning to be with their families for the Holy Week observance.
Reelectionist Gov. Hilario Davide III said he will spend the rest of the week with his wife Jobella and three daughters Patricia Janelli, Dana Giannina, and Niña Francesca in their home in Cebu City.
“The Holy Week is a time to remember Jesus’ suffering and a time to reflect on things happening in one’s life. Also being with my family is very important to me.
We spend Holy Week together as we always do every year,” he said.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) set the start of the local campaign period for March 25, but since it falls on Good Friday, campaigning was moved to March 26.
The Liberal Party Cebu chapter headed by Davide will kick off its local campaign in Argao, Davide’s hometown, on March 28 and will go around the province until March 30.
One Cebu gubernatorial bet Winston Garcia said he will impose a strict “no politics” policy on himself until Sunday. “The next two weeks will be very busy for us so I need a breather before the start of the campaign,” he said.
One Cebu will kick off its campaign all over the province including Consolacion town and Toledo City on Sunday, March 27, Garcia said. He said he will attend a Lenten reflection in Cebu City with other One Cebu candidates.
On Friday, Garcia said he will bring his family to the countryside to spend the rest of the Holy Week. Reelectionist Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale will spend her Maundy Thursday visiting 12 churches in northern Cebu.
After the commemoration of the Talisay Landing on Saturday, she said she will attend a retreat. Magpale will attend Easter Mass on Sunday and then visit Alegria and Ginatilan towns in southern Cebu.
Provincial Board (PB) Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III said he will spend his Holy Week in their ancestral home in Bogo City.
“We attend Mass, take turns in preparing meals, and even have our own Easter egg hunt for the kids on Sunday,” he said in a text message.
He won’t run in the May 9 elections but his father, Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr., is running against Rep. Benhur Salimbangon of One Cebu for the 4th district congressional seat.
PB Member Christopher Baricuatro, who is seeking the newly created 7th district seat in the provincial board, said he will just spend his Holy Week at home with his family in Dumanjug town.
“My parents from Manila are here on vacation. Since January, I’ve been busy meeting with village chiefs and people’s organizations. This week, I’ll make up for lost time to my children,” he said.
Capitol employees and department heads were allowed to take the afternoon off yesterday to prepare for the Holy Week.
In Mandaue City, Rep. Luigi Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district and City Councilor Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon will spend time with their families in Cebu.
Quisumbing told Cebu Daily News that he plans to do the Visita Iglesia in Mandaue City with his family. He said the LP-Mandaue City chapter will launch their campaign in Barangays Subangdaku and Paknaan next Monday.
Emedio Bustillo, the Ouano family’s spokesperson, said they plan to launch their campaign right after the 40-day mourning period for Lolypop’s father, Thadeo Ouano.
In Cebu City, Team Rama will have their opening salvo at the Plaza Independencia on Tuesday. The Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) party has yet to announce the launching of their campaign.
In Talisay City, Mayor Johnny de los Reyes said his family will visit their resort, Island in the Sky, in Balamban town. His former ally, Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante said he will join church activities with his family in Talisay city.
Both candidates will launch their campaigns on Easter Sunday. Team JVR will kick off their campaign with an 8 a.m. caravan around the city’s thoroughfares with tricycle drivers.
At 5 p.m., they will hold a rally in an open space in front of the Talisay City Hall along the South Coastal Road. Villarante said they will conduct a door-to-door campaign and a small rally on Sunday evening.
He said their caravan will be on April 3 at 8 a.m. De los Reyes said he doesn’t mind losing funding support from the Liberal Party after he and his allies switched to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
“Way kaso na. Makabarog man ta ug atoa (We don’t mind it. We can stand on our own),” he said.
Villarante said they have yet to meet the leadership of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) for funding concerns. For now, Villarante said the One Cebu party is already helping them.
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