One Cebu supports Binay, UNA

CEBU, Philippines - The local opposition in Cebu led by the Garcias has formalized its alliance with the United Nationalist Alliance of Vice President Jejomar Binay in a launching program yesterday afternoon.

And one of Binay’s promises was to have a Malacanang satellite in Cebu to take care the needs of the Cebuanos.

"That is what I will offer to the people, a presidency that is closer to the people," he said in his speech during the formal alliance of One Cebu party and of UNA yesterday.

“Under my presidency, each region and province will have funding for at least one mega project per year and we will start here in Cebu,” he added.

One Cebu and UNA held a general assembly where party officials signed a covenant binding UNA, the biggest opposition party in the country, with One Cebu, the largest opposition coalition in Cebu province.

Binay and majority of UNA’s senatorial slate joined the gathering at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

He noted that for years Cebu has consistently been named as the most competitive province but had fallen to third place in the 2015 index. He blamed this on the lack of major infrastructure projects.

He said Cebu has been forgotten for six years under the Aquino administration despite contributing significantly to the national economy.

This failure to support Cebu, he said, has resulted to traffic gridlocks and flooding, to the detriment of business, employment and economic livelihood.

“Cebu is an international gateway and a major industrial and commercial center. Yet several major infrastructure projects still remain in limbo. Last year, after I raised these issues, the DPWH showed drawings and plans for Cebu,” Binay said.

He said that if elected president, he would focus on education, healthcare, continuing and expanding the 4Ps, and on abolishing income taxes for wage earners with monthly salaries of P30,000 and below during his first year in office.

Binay described as “revolting” the existing tax system where ordinary people pay the same income tax as millionaires.

Defending his plan to abolish income taxes “for our lower to middle income workers is doable.”

He said whatever revenue losses can be easily offset with the approval by Congress of revenue-generating measures, such as the proposed Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives Act that will generate roughly P30 billion pesos in additional revenues.

Binay also said that the government can generate more than the projected P30 billion-loss from reducing income taxes once the nation has rid itself of smuggling.

During the assembly, former GSIS president Winston Garcia, One Cebu gubernatorial candidate, said that with the sad state of health care services in district hospitals operated by the provincial government, Cebuanos are thirsting for change.

He was enthusiastic about the alliance, which he said would boost the realization of change in Cebu province. Winston will be up against incumbent Governor Hilario Davide III of the Liberal Party.

Former Governor and now 3rd district Representative Gwendolyn “Gwen” Garcia said that the UNA alliance will prove once again that Cebu Province will deliver again a new president to Malacañang just like what had happened in 2004 with then president Gloria Arroyo.

Thousands of Garcia supporters along with One Cebu’s candidates for congressman, mayors, vice mayors, and councilors were at the Waterfront Hotel to witness the formal launching of the alliance.

Winston challenged Cebuanos to elect leaders “who are proven to have delivered on their promises and not those who are only good in making promises.”

He said Cebu needs real change and game changers, and for this he has the “WinNer formula,” a combination of his name and of his runningmate, former congresswoman Nerissa Soon-Ruiz.

He identified urban decay, traffic congestion, economic stagnation, unemployment, poor healthcare, lack of proper infrastructure, and environmental degradation, among others as problems that beset Cebu now.

“Cebu is fast-changing and a clear action plan is needed to make a prosperous and more livable Cebu–mao ni ang atong Bag-ong Cebu,” Winston said.

He envisioned the creation of tourism sites and industrial zones to generate employment; light rail transit lines crossing the province, initially from Carcar City in the south to Danao  City in the north; and an all-important airport train from Mactan to Cebu City, to address traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, Davide and Vice Governor Agnes Magpale belied insinuations that the Capitol held a series of activities in southern Cebu yesterday to coincide with the One Cebu-UNA event in Cebu City.

The two officials spearheaded the distribution of cash incentives to barangay volunteer workers in the City of Naga, and the towns of Minglanilla, and San Fernando. They also led the inauguration of the Capitol's various road projects in Barangay Magsiko, San Fernando; and Barangay Abuno, Minglanilla.

Davide said the activities had long been scheduled, or in December last year, but were set to February this year due to conflicting schedules.

"I don't mind," Davide said when told of the One Cebu and UNA assembly coinciding with Capitol's activities.

"Aw naa diay? Wa ko kabalo ana," was Magpale’s response.

She affirmed Davide's statement that the schedules for the distribution of the cash incentives were plotted last year.

Magpale belongs to local party Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya, which throws its support behin local candidates of the Liberal Party. — (FREEMAN)