Urban poor groups want Bimbo for Cebu City mayor

CEBU, Philippines —  Different urban poor groups have urged former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) undersecretary and former Cebu City administrator Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez to run for mayor of Cebu City in the 2022 elections.

Hal Atienza, co-convenor of Movement for Transformative Politics (MTP) – Gahum sa Katawhan, told reporters that the decision to push Fernandez to run was after they found out that former mayor Tomas Osmeña will not run again for the position.

“Sa dihang nadunggan nila (urban poor groups) nga naay i-endorse si Tommy kay di siya modagan na (for mayor), mao nang nitumaw ang posibilidad nga hangyoon si Bimbo modagan… Kabalo man ta nga kaila kaayo ug suod si Tommy ug si Bimbo pero this is not an issue whether or not i-endorse si Bimbo ni Tommy,” said Atienza.

“Kay kung di siya tagaan og endorsement, mag-independent siya. Pero kung mausab ang ihip sa hangin nga i-entertain ni Tommy nga siya ang i-endorse nalang pud sa BOPK kay sa pipila ka tuig niserbisyo pud si Bimbo kang Tommy, why not? Pero it’s always the decision of Tommy Osmeña. Dili man ta makacontrol sa iyang decision,” he added.

Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) is a local political party based in Cebu City led by Osmeña.

Atienza said the press conference yesterday was to officially announce the interest of the urban poor groups to push Fernandez to run for mayor.

He said this decision is based on the meetings they conducted with the different leaders of such groups, especially the Urban Poor Alliance in Cebu (UP-ALL).

“Narealize nila nga well ang playing field karon sa politika for mayor, open. Kay ang incumbent, Labella dili man siya modagan of course. And then, we are left with the same people nga ni-express og mga interest para mo-lead napud sa syudad,” said Atienza.

“Then naka-realize mi, urban poor, ingon mi paghuman sa tantong reflection, kinsa pa may lain nga ingon man ang mga tawo gusto nila nga pwede ba bag-o nasad? Pwede bang bag-o nasad nga pagpadagan ug leadership para sa gobyerno sa Syudad sa Sugbo?” he added.

Atienza also mentioned that Fernandez expressed his interest to run for the position but is still hesitating, so they are showing their support to him.

“Ang ingon sa urban poor, dili man na siya modagan kung dili nato hangyuon. Mao nang papresscon ta aron ipakita sa publiko na dia mi, urban poor ug lain pang sector nga nia mi mohatag og suporta sa iyang kandidatura pagkamayor,” he said. – KQD  (FREEMAN)