Baybay City-UNA’S proclamation rally: Archbishop endorses Galenzoga for mayor

BAYBAY CITY, Philippines — Mayoralty bet Marilou “Malot” Veloso Galenzoga and her slate of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) kicked off the 45-day local campaign period with a motorcade and a proclamation rally on Easter Sunday (March 31).

The UNA event started with a Mass at the Our Lady of Remedies Parish Church in Brgy. Makinhas, celebrated by Most Rev. Diosdado Talamayan, archbishop of Tuguegarao (Cagayan Valley), who in his homily, openly endorsed Galenzoga’s bid for mayor of this city.

Talamayan told the parishioners that he knew Malot since she was young and he could vouch for her good leadership, adding that he and the Galenzoga family have been friends for a long time for him to fully knew she has a heart to lend readily a helping hand to the needy.

Galenzoga edged out Rep. Manny Pacquiao (Sarangani) for the slot to win the 2011 Leadership Excellence Award in Philantrophy (TOPLEAP) conferred annually by the Jaycees International.

Immediately after the Mass, a motorcade by the UNA team, supporters and volunteers was staged from Brgy. Villa Solidaridad (last barangay before Mahaplag town) to Brgy. Plaridel (last one before Inopacan town in the south) and then to Brgy. Mayabog (last before Albuera town in the north).

The UNA motorcade, carrying blue flags and balloons, came face to face with a similar activity by the Liberal Party, carrying light green streamers and balloons, of re-electionist Mayor Carmen Cari and her team, which for their part, had theirs done around the city.

Right after the motorcade of the two camps, comments immediately flooded the internet, one of which stated that the motorcades were not a show of the number of supporters each had, but on how loyal these people were to their respective political party.

The netizen cited his observations over the two caravans: As team Malot’s float cruised through the streets, her supporters chanted “Kausaban (Change)” amidst that rainy morning, while that of Cari, carrying the battlecry of “Kalambuan (Progress),” was met with gaping silence from the crowd.

At around 6 p.m., the team Malot went to the Prince Mall garage to start the torch parade towards the Veterans’ Park for the UNA proclamation rally.

Alvin Truya, a candidate for councilor under Malot’s team, told The Freeman that it was the same place where Florencio Centino, an opposition mayoralty bet in the past, was killed in a shooting incident that remains unsolved to this day.

Supporters, bringing with them bamboo torches, waited near the Legislative Building at the City Hall and at the White House, an estate owned by the Romualdez family, for the Malot team to arrive for the proclamation rally.

In her speech, Malot outlined to the crowd her platforms of government, with emphasis on eradicating graft and corruption. She said that she is prioritizing health and agriculture because the city’s economy is agriculture-driven.

Malot said she only wanted the best for Baybayanons and that she proposed to have a Baybay City General Hospital for affordable health services for them, complete with ICU, pharmacy and blood bank. She told them that the ambulance must be used solely for emergency cases and parked at the hospital area, not behind the City Hall as done at present.

Completing the Team Malot were her vice mayoralty bet, Al Relevo, and those for councilor: Odong Alo, Ricardo Avila, Vic Bacusmo, Oscar Balan, Akie Baledio, BB Datahan, Virgie Dumaguing, Dingding Meredores, Earl Nuñez and Truya. Each of them also presented their platforms of service while tackling various issues against the present city administration. (FREEMAN)