Garcia, Frasco back Shimura as next LMP Cebu president

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Liloan Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco have endorsed Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura to be the next president of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines (LMP)-Cebu Chapter.

Frasco, who is currently the president of LMP-Cebu, is set to leave her post after she was picked by President–elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to lead the Department of Tourism (DOT) .

In a statement, the incoming secretary said she already talked to her mother, Gov. Gwen, who also expressed support for Shimura’s bid as LMP-Cebu president.

“Coming into this next term, I am fully confident that Mayor Sun Shimura will be able to not only continue what we have started but also lead the LMP forward to the same strides of relevance, innovation, effectiveness, and importance that we have been able to give the organization in this term,” Frasco said.

Shimura is thankful of the endorsement from Frasco and Garcia.

Shimura said that to run for as LMP president in Cebu was an offer to her and “as a good soldier” he humbly accepted the challenge and vowed to make his best if given the chance to lead the league.

Shimura said, leading LMP-Cebu is a huge responsibility admitting that it’s “hard to fill in the shoes” of Frasco who is the current president of their organization.

“As LMP president dako siya nga responsibility and it’s very hard to fill the shoes nga gibiyaan ni Mayor Christina. She is a well-defined sa iyang trabaho, han-ay gyud ba, plantsada ang programs sa league sa LMP, murag nindot kaayo ang programs ni Mayor Christina,” Shimura said.

If he wins as LMP-Cebu president in August, Shimura vowed to continue the programs that Frasco has started.

Shimura also asked Consolacion Mayor–elect Teresa “Nene” Alegado to be his vice president, which the latter has accepted.

Under the current administration of LMP-Cebu, Shimura serves as the treasurer.

Shimura entered his political career at the age of 24 as mayor of Daanbantayan in 2007. In 2010, he then was elected as a Provincial Board member of the fourth district up to 2019 and ran again and won as mayor in the said town in 2019 and the recently concluded May 9, 2022 elections. — GMR (FREEMAN)