On BCLP polls: Team Rama confident to grab all posts

CEBU, Philippines - Team Rama is certain that they would again defeat Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) in today’s election for the Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines (BCLP).

Brgy Kamputhaw Councilor Raymond Garcia, Team Rama’s bet for BCLP president, said that it is a clear cut victory for them with the 400 out of 560 votes they are certain to get.

Garcia added that they are hoping that Team Rama’s success during the election of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) last year, where all the party’s bets won, would also be of the same fate for them for the BCLP elections.

“…that’s what we are hoping for that ang momentum sa ABC elections straight voting mahitabo sab sa BCLP election,” Garcia said.

Garcia promised that if he becomes BCLP president, he will ask Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to provide an additional P3, 000 for monthly incentives to all barangay officials in the city.

Garcia recently announced that he will also organize a legal team with at least 10 lawyers that will assist barangay officials on legal matters in relation to their duties as well as work on the identification cards of BCLP members which will also serve as their health cards.

Also, Garcia said they are planning to make some arrangements with private hospitals in Cebu that would make it possible for the city’s councilmen to opt where to spend the P25,000 hospitalization aid to them from the city government.

Further, he said he will prioritize submitting quarterly reports of the officials’ activities in a newsletter-form and will provide an accounting for the P9 million BCLP fund of the previous administration.

The BCLP still has unused funding of close to P100,000 from the P3 million cash assistance from the city government in 2012 and from the P6 million Priority Development Assistance Fund of then Cebu City  Congressman Tomas Osmeña.

Meanwhile, BOPK’s Helen Francisco, who is running for BCLP Executive Vice-President, told The Freeman that Garcia has the right to claim numbers as they are living in a democratic country.

However, she said that their president Franklin Ong, still has an edge over Garcia and that they project around 300 votes for BOPK.

“Performance sa atong president Ong, incumbent BCLP and national president for three years as BCLP president,” Francisco said, adding “ang mga barangay kagawad naay hunahuna unsaon nila pagbotar aron usa ka lider sa usa ka organisasyon nga dili magsalig sa mga officials in the government but also has the initiative unsaon nila pagdumala ang ilang matag ginsakupan.”

BOPK’s Garry Lao, incumbent BCLP secretary general, said Team Rama’s bets have an edge because they are allies of the present administration.

“They claim to have 55 barangay captains because they are on the administration side. They have the edge because they can use all the resources that they have,” said Lao, stressing that they are still optimistic of winning over Team Rama.

“We have faith in our fellow councilors especially to those incumbent councilors who are with us with the past three years nga ila gyud nakita kun unsa ug gi-unsa pag-umol ang BCLP headed by Franklin Ong because we are into service beyond colors and performance beyond promises,” Lao added.

Apart from Garcia team Rama’s bets  are Litoy Ceniza for Executive vice-president, Eugen Tabas for vice-president-south, Yody Sanchez for vice-president-north, Grace Baquero for secretary, Maria Pino for treasurer, David Agravante for auditor and Gerry Auxilio Jr. for Public Relations Officer (P.R.O.). Also, Team Rama councilors running for a board member position for the south district are Gena Cabantug, Jojo Perralta, Richard Buscaino and Anne Vestil Palomo while those for the north district are councilors Troy Tan, Bradex Flores, Frank “Kukoy” Gajudo and Lino Bontilao.

While the barangay councilors from  BOPK are; Ong for president, Helen Francisco for EVP, Manolita Abarquez for VP-south, Rex Millan for VP North, Garry Lao for secretary, Joan Babayson for treasurer, Raffy Briones for auditor and Malou Tabar for P.R.O.

BOPK councilors vying for a position as Board of Director in the south district are Harry Cañete, Atty. Noel Bacalla, Arlene Montejo  and Zenaida Amorez while for  the south district are councilors Aking Ruiz, Nelson Archival, Keith Noel Wenceslao and Ester Erma.

The BCLP election will be held at White Gold House at the North Reclamation area this 2 pm.— /ATO (FREEMAN)