Admin bets woo Cebu City anew

Cebu -- Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates joined the second leg of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s “suroy-suroy” tour Friday, a two-day heritage and political caravan in vote-rich Cebu province.

The four candidates -- Vicente Sotto III, Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, and Camille Villar, who were also endorsed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. -- joined Garcia’s One Cebu Party in visiting over a dozen cities and towns, aligning with Alyansa’s focus on community-based leadership and rural development.

With over 3.4 million registered voters, Cebu is a significant electoral force. Alyansa’s presence in the province reflects its efforts to strengthen its Visayas base ahead of the May midterm elections.

Sotto, who has authored 259 laws, highlighted his legislative work for local development, including the calamity fund, family courts, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Mental Health Act, and the “Doktor Para sa Bayan” law.

The former Senate President pledged to push for the institutionalization of the 14th-month pay and the criminalization of fake news.

Lacson, on the other hand, praised Governor Garcia, calling her one of the most admired and influential leaders in the Visayas as he committed to augmenting the Department of Tourism (DoT) budget if re-elected, to support Cebu’s tourism sector.

Pacquiao, a former senator and boxing champion, brought his message of hope and service to Cebu, emphasizing his fight against poverty and corruption.

Meantime, Villar reaffirmed her commitment to public service, focusing on support for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), job creation, and affordable housing.

This was the second time Alyansa candidates joined Governor Garcia’s “suroy-suroy” tour, following the 27 to 29 March leg in southern Cebu. The tour allows for direct conversations with local leaders and citizens.