PNoy, LP bets to visit Cebu tomorrow

To campaign in vote-rich Cebu 

CEBU, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III, Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas and his running mate Leni Robredo, will visit Cebu tomorrow for a pre-Labor Day celebration and a campaign sortie for the local candidates of the Liberal Party as well as the proclamation rally of Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan.

Ramil Abing, executive assistant to the governor, said after lunch on Wednesday Aquino will attend a governance activity of the Department of Labor and Employment in the Mandaue Sports Center and Cultural Center. After that he will go to the BOPK sortie to be held at the Capitol grounds at 4 p.m.

Aquino will also join the campaign sortie of Roxas and Robredo around 5:30 p.m.

His final schedule of activities will be announced by the Philippine Information Agency-7 today.

DOLE-7 information officer Luchiel Taniza said the activity in Mandaue is a local and overseas job fair as well as payout or distribution of salaries for DOLE's Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES).

SPES refers to student beneficiaries who are enrolled in the program for a minimum of two years or until they earn a college or vocational degree. The program covers poor but deserving students who are between 15 to 25 years old who are enrolled or out-of-school youth intending to enroll in any secondary, tertiary, technical or vocational education institution.

This will be the third time Aquino will personally campaign for the tandem since the campaign period started. First was on March 3 at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Center, then on April 19 in the town of Argao, Cebu, where he was joined by his sister, showbiz personality Kris Aquino.

Roxas and Robredo are expected to be in Bantayan town on the same day from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. before going to Talisay City for a multi-sectoral assembly from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.   

They will then proceed to the proclamation rally at the Provincial Capitol grounds.

Roxas has been here four times already since the campaign period started, while Leni has campaigned here thrice. The last time that Roxas was here was April 8 in Naga City, while Robredo was here last March 4 in Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City, together with Roxas and some LP senatorial candidates.

Meanwhile, Korina Sanchez, the wife of Roxas, was also campaigning for him in Barangay Lepanto, Alegria town, yesterday.

Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon of BOPK said they are expecting 12,000 supporters and officials for the activity in the Capitol grounds. Dizon said he cannot disclose yet the details of the event as they are still finalizing them. BOPK officials had a meeting yesterday.

Meanwhile, Talisay City Mayor Johnny Delos Reyes said he expects the LP rally in his city to draw only a few supporters.

"Mingaw lagi na. Kun adto siguro sila sa merkado basin tapuk-an pa sila," he said.

"Ako na nang gitugyan ni Gullas kay siya man ang pinangga sa LP. Tagsa-tagsa naman mi'g tugkaran," he added.

De los Reyes and former first district representative Eduardo Gullas, the head of the local party Alayon, are facing a rematch for the mayoralty seat in Talisay City in the upcoming elections. De los Reyes defeated Gullas in 2013.

Last Month, De los Reyes and his allies formally endorsed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's candidacy for president.

However, while he supports Duterte and the latter's running mate Alan Peter Cayetano, the mayor clarified that he and his slate remains with LP but they will only support its local candidates, particularly Governor Hilario Davide III and Vice Governor Agnes Magpale.

De los Reyes and his team decided to drop Roxas after the LP standard-bearer chose to recognize Gullas who attended the LP rally in Mandaue City last week together with his group of local candidates in the first district.

The mayor openly said he was disappointed that he was not acknowledged during the rally.  — /BRP (FREEMAN)