Yayoy’s son fills in BOPK slot

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City mayoralty candidate Margot Osmeña of Bando Osmena Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) has assured that Ramon Alcoseba is not a stranger in politics and is a very capable substitute to his father, the late councilor Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba.

The multi-titled basketball coach who served Cebu City as councilor for 12 years died last week while seeking for reelection.

With his untimely death, the law provides that the party in the case of BOPK can only substitute Alcoseba with someone bearing the same family name as the National and Local Elections is already on May 9 and ballots are already printed Alcoseaba’s name.

“It’s his son (Ramon). His son will be replacing him (councilor Alcoseba),” said Osmeña.

Osmeña also said that they are already preparing the certificate of candidacy of Ramon together with the certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) at the Commission on Elections office.

Osmeña said Ramon has long been with his father and has also been representing his father in the campaign sorties since the start of the local election campaign period that Cebuanos are also familiar with him already.

“Si Ramon, iyang anak, sige nag kuyog niya (Yayoy), so he’s not a stranger to what they are doing or to what his father was doing,” Osmeña added.

Osmeña even shared that it has been their joke to Ramon that he is the “yayo” of Yayoy.

“Dugay na..dugay na nga siyay sigeg kuyog namo..dili kanang bag-o pa..He (Ramon) has always been there all the time with his dad,” said Osmeña.

Amidst what happened to the late Alcoseba, Osmeña said, they are moving on forward, working double time on the campaign since elections are already very close.

“Syempre naningkamot gyud mi coz we are already in the final stretch naman ni noh..So, whatever we had to do, we will do…and what is right..always in the confines of what is right..and you know, I take seriously on what we signed covenant..Sometimes I get weary on signing those things because you know, are we just signing this for you? For the camera…but I take that seriously…It’s too late in my age to change who I am,” said Osmeña.

If elected, Osmeña said, the first thing that she would do is to clean City Hall.

“To clean the house..to clean the house..You know, take stock, unsay wala diha. Determine what is needed as compared to what you want, very simple para nako,” said Osmeña.

Osmeña, who is known to have a heart for the children, is also expected to give priority to Operation Second Chance, saying she is so worried about it and the facility needs trained personnel for them to get a chance in life.

“Kinahanglan gyud diha nga personnel, trained, kay lahi gyud..Dili man ni mga bata nga buotan, badlungon gyud..That’s why they are there..they are caught and sent there. So let’s give them a chance and give ourselves a chance kay walay gyud bata nga magsulti nga inig dako nako, puhon mapriso ko,” said Osmeña.

Osmeña also said they will also look into helping Pasil which gained some attention lately following a viral photo during the inauguration of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway.

However, Osmeña clarified that they will look into it, not for aesthetic purposes, but to help them have better lives.

“It should not be the CCLEX as the reason kay bati. Sa picture, bati sa postcard..but because we want to help them sama sa among pagtabang dili lang sa Pasil but sama sa among pagtabang sa uban,” said Osmeña. — GMR (FREEMAN)