ORION, Bataan — Former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez and former Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco have endorsed the candidacy of business executive Elcid Gervacio to run for mayor of this town.

Believing he has the capability to lead and turn Orion town around, Rodriguez and Evasco personally declared their political support for Gervacio during a recent political caucus held in Manila.

Gervacio, in turn, expressed gratitude to the two former Malacañang officials, as he vowed to make meaningful changes in his town.

While many political candidates resort to character assassination, attacking their opponents to tarnish their credibility, Gervacio is taking a different approach. He refuses to engage in petty political battles or a tit-for-tat with his rivals.

As Mayoral candidate Elcid Gervacio Diancin’s popularity continues to rise amount the people of Orion, he remains low-profile, relying more on his platform for change than on flashy publicity. He emphasized that he does not intend to engage in the usual back-and-forth of political battles.

"I just want for a change in this town,” said Gervacio, who prefers to use his middle name, Gervacio, as popularly known in Bataan.

Local newsmen based here have observed that more and more residents here vow to support his candidacy "come what may."

Gervacio’s name spread like wildfire after the BATAAN PENINSULA TIMES, a local weekly newspaper based in the province, and two other national digital newspapers — METRO SUN and SAKSIPINAS.com — featured Gervacio’s mayoral bid.

“Nagiging solido na ang suporta ng mga taga Orion kay Elcid Gervacio dahil sa kagustuhan nilang pagkakaroon ng pagbabago dito sa aming bayan,” said a 65-year-old resident of Barangay Gen. Lim.

Motivated by the support of the people, Gervacio said that he just wanted to put Orion town in place and will not target the incumbent mayor Tonypep Raymundo, now on his fourth term as town mayor here.

Raymundo seeks reelection and filed his Certificate of Candidacy for the fifth consecutive term as mayor, raising eyebrows among legal luminaries and breaking perhaps the political history in the country.

“Hindi ko hahabulin si Tonypep Raymundo sa kanyang kwestionableng paghabol ng pang limang term niya bilang mayor pero gusto ko lang maiayos ang bayan ng Orion,” said Gervacio in an impromptu interview inside his compound in this town.

Gervacio’s style in politicking is different from others as he does not want to engage in a -tit-for-tat against his political foes and prefers to lay down his platform on how to turn Orion around.

“Ayoko ng siraan, although wala silang masisilip sakin,” pointed out the low-profile business executive.

Earlier, a number of Orion folk told newsmen that they prefer to support Gervacio’s bid for mayor, claiming he will become a good leader. “Magaling si Cid, pinag-uusapan siya dito sa Orion,” said local residents.

This was confirmed by Gervacio, who expressed that the people of Orion have pledged their full support to him if he runs for mayor, “ for a change.”

The soft-spoken Gervacio noted that he does not want to engage in the traditional political warfare, but prefers to remain low profile. “Ayoko ng manira ng kalaban ko maski wala naman silang sisirain sa akin, walang isyu sakin,” he said proudly.

“Ngayon na nabiyayaan ako ng Panginoon ng hiling kong kaginhawahan sa buhay, panahon na para dinggin ko ang sigaw ng taong bayan at TUMINDIG para sa aking MAHAL NA BAYAN NG ORION,” (Now that I have been blessed by God with a comfortable life, it is now time to hear the outcry of my townmates to stand for our beloved town of Orion), pointed out Gervacio or Cid as fondly called by friends and relatives.

From humble beginnings as a carpenter and farmer, Gervacio recalls the hardships he faced during his youth. “Dati akong karpintero, magsasaka dahil mahirap ang buhay namin. Pero nung nag apply akong janitor sa isang kompanya ay pinayuhan akong mag sales na lang. Dito nag umpisa ang aking tagumpay,” (I was a former carpenter, farmer due to hardship in life. But when I applied as janitor in a company, I was advised to engage in sales and that's where my success started.)

He said he has been gifted with more than what his family needs, and now he feels it is time to serve the town where he was born and raised.

At the height of the pandemic, Gervacio demonstrated his commitment to his town by donating three months' worth of salaries to the people of Orion “to somehow heave my townmates a sigh of relief,” Gervacio said.

“I have nothing to ask for from God except to serve my townmates and make Orion town a better place to live in,” Gervacio concluded.