PROMDI revives advocacy

The Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives (PROMDI) is back in the political scene joining the Partylist election.

This was revealed by Mariano “Mimo” Osmeña, the son of the late former Cebu Governor Emilio “Lito” Osmeña and stressed that the group — with its political slogan “Probinsya Muna” — will revive its campaign for devolution to the barangays, municipalities, cities and provinces of economic and political authority.

“We are pursuing the vision of my late Dad Lito Osmeña, the ‘bottoms up’ type of leadership,” Osmeña said in an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE. “The political and economic power should be with the barangays, municipalities, cities and the provinces and these will depopulate the urban centers.”

To recall, PROMDI was established in 1998 presidential elections, when Lito Osmeña ran for president. It is a Cebu-based political party and partylist group. It had a Partylist seat in 2001.

PROMDI’s presidential standard bearer in 2022 was Senator Manny Pacquiao. It was also the first Partylist or Sectoral group based in Cebu that won a congressional seat.

As this developed, the Durano political clan has endorsed the gubernatorial candidacy of Pamela Baricuatro, a philanthropist and social activist.

Durano patriarch Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III has expressed their support to the candidacy of Baricuatro, who is the official gubernatorial candidate of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino.

She is a businesswoman and has been involved in socio-political movements, including the Save Cebu Movement and the Maisug Movement. She is also the founder and executive director of the SimplyShare Foundation Inc., which has sustained feeding programs in Cebu province.

“With sincere gratitude to Bakud Party and to the Durano Family,” said Baricuatro, adding that the “high incidence of poverty” in Cebu province has motivated her to run for public office.

“There are many people in the province who are suffering. That is my biggest motivating factor as why I am running,” Baricuatro said.

She cited statistics that reflect the severity of the problem and believes that a high poverty rate would mean a high corruption status.