Alayon’s winning bets take oath

CEBU, Philippines — Newly-elected officials in Cebu’s First District took their oath of office yesterday.

Held at Carcar City Hall, Senator-elect Cynthia Villar sworn in Eduardo “Eddiegul” Gullas as First District representative.

Other officials who are members of local group Alayon, which is affiliated with the Nacionalista Party of Villar, also took their oath before Gullas and governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia.

Among them were Talisay City Mayor-elect Gerald Anthony Gullas and Naga City Mayor-elect Valdemar Chiong, among others.

Senator-elect Imee Marcos was also present during the mass oath-taking.

The First District covers the cities of Talisay, Naga and Carcar, and the towns of Sibonga, San Fernando and Minglanilla.

Majority of the winning provincial, city and municipal candidates in the First District are members of the Nacionalista Party.

Samsam took pride of Alayon’s victory (nine-zero win from congressman to board members to city and  to municipal mayors) in the First District.

He said if the alliance will remain strong, more national and provincial candidates will help and support the First District because it can deliver votes and make candidates win.

Garcia, who marked a far lead in the First District against her opponents, thanked the people for trusting and voting her.

“Dako ang pagsalig nga gihatag sa katawhan kanako. Dako sad kaayo ko og baslanan karon sugod Hulyo 1,” she said.

"Maningkamot gyud ta. Naglantaw ko sa umaabot niining talagsaon nga higayon, usa ka makasaysayanon nga panghitabo... gigasahan niini nga mahibalik pag-alagad isip gobernador. Ako nang angkonon ang dakong responsibilidad," she added.

Villar, for her part, vowed to help pour in resources and projects in Cebu’s First District, where she ranked first among the senatorial candidates in the May 13 elections.

"Makakaasa kayo na kami ni Imee (Marcos) na magtatrabaho sa Senado para makatulong dito sa First District. Kahit hindi ako from Cebu, here I garnered first place in the whole Cebu kaya I am very pleased," she said in her speech during the mass oath-taking.

Villar shared that Cebu's First District is like a home to the Villar family because her husband, former Senate president Manny Villar, is Eddiegul’s best friend.

Marcos, in her speech, said she was still grateful to Cebu’s First District for being part of her historic win despite the protests and rallies against her during her campaign in Cebu.

"Sabi nila (critics), ayaw nila (Cebuanos) ng Marcos at impossible kayo manalo dyan (Cebu). They (Cebuanos) are impossible to please, hard to get and extremely difficult. But I said, they are intelligent, they will always give a chance if you prove yourself and if you try and you will help them. I visited here many times a week and it paid off especially here in the First District. Walang imposible kaya kinasing-kasing nga pasalamat," she said.

Carcar City, said Samsam, was chosen as this year's host for the mass oath-taking because the city had the most percentage of votes that made him win as congressman in the 2016 elections.

Carcar City Vice Mayor-elect and outgoing mayor Nicepuro Apura welcomed the "winners and champions" of the May 13 elections.

"This oath-taking is simply a confirmation of our good job being done. This is simply a clear manifestation that the people favored us to be of service to them," he said. — KBQ (FREEMAN)