Cebu mayors still with Gibo

CEBU, Philippines - While the commitment of some congressmen to the campaign of administration party standard bearer Gilberto ‘Gibo’ Teodoro has been questioned, the mayors under One Cebu Party said that they remain solidly behind his candidacy.

“Majority of the mayors in Cebu province are with Gibo and Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia,” said Mayor Raymond Calderon of Samboan town. He is seeking reelection unopposed.

Calderon was one of the 15 mayors in Cebu’s 2nd District, who joined Governor Garcia in the caravan from Dumanjug town to Argao town kicking off her campaign for the local elections.

Mayors of the district, who met Garcia in yesterday’s opening salvo, said that they remain steadfast in their support for Tedoro.

The loyalty of some Cebu congressmen, including that of the governor’s father, Rep. Pablo Garcia of the 2nd District and her brother Rep. Pablo John Garcia of the 3rd District, were questioned when they met Nacionalista Party standard bearer Senator Manny Villar a few days ago.

In that meeting, Villar formalized his alliance with Kugi Uswag Sugbo of former Cebu City Mayor Alvin Garcia. Garcia is running for mayor of the city.

The opening salvo of the campaign of One Cebu Party started with a Mass in Dumanjug town.

After the Mass, the group traveled in a convoy to Argao. They made 15-minute stops on each municipality that they passed in the southern tip of the island province.

Calderon said that he and the other mayors in the province continue their unwavering support for the former defense secretary and standard-bearer of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party.

“I think Gibo will make the best president among all the presidentiables. He is best prepared to be the next president,” Calderon said.

Other local government leaders in Cebu province—among them Mayors Arlene Zambo of Toledo City and Sun Shimura of Daanbantayan town —also affirmed their unwavering support for Gibo, who is banking on the formidable machinery of the party and his apparent hold of the of the youth vote to win.

“I believe in Gibo. For me he is a fresh face in politics and I appreciate his convictions,” said Mayor Zambo, who will be running for vice mayor this year. “We’ll do our best. We will work hard for him in our city.”

Mayor Shimura said Daanbantayan town would give its 100 percent support to Gibo, who is a Harvard-educated lawyer and topnotcher of the 1989 Bar examinations.

“He is the most qualified among all the presidential candidates,” Shimura said of Gibo.

Shimura, who is seeking a seat in the provincial board representing the 4th District, said that other mayors in the district announced their full support to the presidential bid of Teodoro.

Big posters of Teodoro were spotted in front of the municipal buildings beside the posters of Governor Garcia and her running mate Glenn Soco, Congressman Pablo Garcia and provincial board members Wilfred Caminero and Peter John Calderon.

Ronda Vice Mayor Mariano Blanco, who is seeking the mayoralty post said, also assured their support for Teodoro. — /NLQ(FREEMAN NEWS)