Rama confident to win in 2019 polls

Former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama is confident that Barug Team Rama will win in the 2019 elections, with the support of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a press conference yesterday along with the members of the local party, he admitted that he strongly believed that they will earn victory in the upcoming poll.

“Ang pasabot ang number one namo nga campaigner as of today is the president of the Republic of the Philippines and therefore we should give our sincerest round of applause to his Excellency Rodrigo Duterte, the number one campaigner of Barug Team Rama,” Rama said.

The former mayor’s comment came after the president lashed at Mayor Tomas Osmeña publicly during his speech for Mandaue City’s celebration of its 49th Charter Day anniversary.

Majority of the members of Barug Team Rama were affiliated with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban).

In fact, incumbent Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella is the chairman of PDP Laban Cebu City Chapter.

Among the city officials who took their oath to PDP Laban are Councilors Raymond Alvin Garcia, Joel Garganera, Jocelyn Pesquera, Jose Daluz III, Eduardo Rama Jr., among others.

At present, Rama said he could not disclose the official lineup of Barug Team Rama for the May elections, saying the matter will be announced in due time.

He said whoever will be included on their slate, these individuals has something to offer for the general welfare of the city.

“In other words each one of the candidates here can always create an impact because they all have their own line of expertise,” he said.

Rama banks on the unity of the party which is among their edge over Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, headed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

“Solidarity kanang gihinganlan kaming tanan usa, daghan apan usa sa among tinguha sa paghatag og tinuoray nga pang gobyerno,” he said.

One best example that would prove that they are united is when Rama sacrificed his political dream to get city’s leadership back by running for vice mayor, allowing Labella to run for the mayoralty race.

Labella, who is the standard bearer of the group, concurred with Rama saying they are being consultative with one another, no one dictates them on what to do.

He said if there are matters to be threshed out, they will listen to each other’s opinion in order to come up with a collaborative decision.

“Everyone consults each other and we come up with a consensus. Wala’y magbuot og unsay buhaton because we believed that the sentiment of all the members of the group should be the sentiment that should prevail among others,” he said.

Also, yesterday, the members of the party have affixed their signature on the joint statement of unity and solidarity of the group.

“We, with the entire Partido Barug Team Rama, requests all of you - every Cebuano - particularly those who are frustrated, angry, miserable, hopeless, young or old, to join us in this moral crusade to restore and give back City Hall and the City Council to our people,” portion of their joint statement read.

Labella reiterated that he lauded Rama for sliding down in order to support for her mayoralty race in the upcoming elections.

He said what Rama did indicates how responsible and a true leader the latter was.

“I always said it over and over again that the gesture of mayor Mike in giving this opportunity to me is an act of being a statesman, a sincere leader and a servant of the people because a true leader is someone who knows how to prepare everybody for succession to run for public office,” Labella said.