Belmonte, QC officials rally behind GMA

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., city councilors and barangay officials pledged their loyalty to the Constitution and committed their full support to President Arroyo as the duly elected President of the Philippines.

"Stable leadership is the key to progress, we need a stable leader like President Arroyo," Belmonte told a cheering crowd of city councilors and barangay officials during a consultation meeting held at a restaurant along Kalayaan Avenue in Quezon city.

The mayor cited the case of China which has now emerged as among the most progressive country in the world because of stable leaders that steered their country to progress.

Belmonte also expressed support to the shift to a parliamentary form of government similar to Germany’s federal government.

"We need a genuine parliamentary, not a dictator parliament," he said, referring to the Parliamentary system introduced by the late President Marcos that contained a "dictatorial provision."

The three-hour meeting was attended by members of the city council led by Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista and Majority leader Ariel Inton, 130 barangay officials representing the city’s 2.4 million residents and top city government officials.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Bayani Fernando, who was invited to the affair, said the show of support of Quezon City will be a big factor in keeping democracy alive in the country.

"I can feel the high emotions in Quezon City," Fernando said.

Councilor Winston "Winnie" Castelo read the resolution of the city council, while Martin Dino, president of the Barangay League, submitted the resolution of the 142 barangay captains. The resolutions will be submitted by Belmonte to the President in Malacañang today.