3 days before polls 3 groups endorse Team Rama

CEBU, Philippines - A day before the last day of the local campaign period, two sectors and a non-government organization yesterday endorsed Mayor Michael Rama and the whole Team Rama slate.

Preachers Educators Assembly of Cebu (PEACE), an association of different religious beliefs and expression of faith said they believe Team Rama has the moral ascendancy to lead the city.

Representatives from six youth organizations,  Youth For Mike, Cebu City Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation, Junior Educators Alliance of Cebu, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, Cebu City Youth Movement and KUSUG Youth, joined PEACE in its formal pronouncement of support to Rama and his entire slate.

Rama, his runningmate, Edgardo Labella and congressional aspirants Atty. Aristotle Batuhan and Annabelle Rama attended the formal endorsement held in a downtown hotel.

The Barangay Kagawad sa Dakbayan (Barkada) also endorsed Team Rama yesterday in a separate event.

Barkada, an NGO, has 306 barangay kagawads and chairmen.

Batuhan said Team Rama is not just prepared for the elections but for the entire three-year term.

Annabelle said an endorsement from the youth sector is her dream.

 "Tungod kay ang youth kugihan mubotar, kugihan sa social networking. Si Obama midaug raba tungod sa mga youth," Annabelle said.

Labella claimed that the youth sector plays a "very important role in the administration of Mayor Michael Rama" since they solve "social imbalance."

The mayor also  expressed his gratitude to the youth and interfaith sectors for endorsing his slate.

Youth for Mike claimed to have 69 ambassadors from different barangays in the city.

Eight thousand pledges of vote has been accordingly gathered from sitio leaders.

SK Cebu City Vice President Davengel Cabatana said their group is backing Team Rama because "he is a pro-life mayor."

"We stand for morality, not deception," Cabatana said.

A Junior Educators Allicance of Cebu representative said while they recognize the idea that educators should be non-partisan, they still endorsed Team Rama "because we believe in the advocacy of the mayor."

Leadership by example was cited by the student council representative as the main reason why they are backing the mayor's party.

Cebu City Youth Movement support Rama because of his programs for the youth.

Kugi Uswag Sugbo (KUSUG) youth, a sector of the political party founded by former mayor Alvin Garcia, also expressed support because "we do not want to elect a vindictive mayor, madinumtanon."

For Barkada, Hon. Jun Malazarte, the group's president said they are supporting Rama because he has implemented several projects in the barangays.

The group said they do not want former mayor, now South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña, to lead the city again.

"Sa pagkatinuod kani among grupo we tried to avoid endorsing political leaders or even for any matters but then time demands for it, " Hon. Boy Miranda, Barkada adviser said in a press conference.

The group revealed that out 75 of the 80 barangays in the CVity are for Team Rama and 95 percent of the total membership of Barkada is supporting Rama's party.

Rama expressed his gratitude for Barkada's support.

But Osmeña, in a text message, said "Barkada is long fragmented and that interfaith group I never heard of". (FREEMAN)