Sun Star Bacolod

Grupo Progreso bares line-up

- BY MERLINDA A. PEDROSA

Progreso (GP) led by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia will file their certificat­e of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Election (Comelec) office for the 2019 elections today, the first day of filing.

Leonardia, along with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilors Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, Cindy Rojas, and Bartolome Orola and former councilor Roberto Rojas confirmed yesterday they will present their complete line-up today at the Business Inn.

After that, they will attend the 12:15 p.m. mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral and will march towards the Bacolod Arts and Youth Sports (Bays) Center, Leonardia said.

He said they will hold a short rally at the Bays Center then file their COC at the local Comelec office.

GP’S line-up also includes incumbent Congressma­n Greg Gasataya of Nationalis­t People’s Coalition (NPC).

Their slate for councilors includes six incumbent councilors including Orola, Rojas, Renecito Novero, Dindo Ramos, Elmer Sy and Ana Marie Palermo; and former councilors Al Victor Espino, Jose Carlos Lopez and Archie Baribar.

Also included in their slate for councilors are aspirants Simple Distrito, mother of Councilor Distrito, Israel Salanga and Marlon Solidum.

Leonardia said this is a blockbuste­r team, a solid, committed and the chemistry and the relationsh­ip are very tight and very high.

Leonardia and his team will be wearing red t-shirts and he encouraged their friends and supporters to join them in the filing of COC.

“We will have a sea of red army in the city and this a coalition of different major political parties,” Leonardia said.

He said it’s their dream that their line-up will be strong because they want to come up with a 15-0 victory in 2019 elections.

Familiaran said Espino, Ramos, Salanga and Solidum are members

of the NPC’S political party; Lopez and Distrito of Nationalis­ta Party (NP); and Orola, Rojas, Novero, Baribar and Sy are members of Partido Demokratik­o Pilipino– Lakas ng Bayan (Pdplaban).

Meanwhile, Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. of Magbinulig­ay Kita sa Kauswagan (MKK) led by former mayor Monico Puentevell­a, said they are planning to file their COCS on October 16.

He said their group is composed of MKK members, Abang-lingkod partylist, civil and social nongovernm­ent organizati­ons, and cause-oriented groups.

He added they are still finalizing the name of their group which will be called “Asenso for better Bacolod, asenso for best Bacolod or asenso for booming Bacolod or ABB.”

Gamboa noted that they are still on the process of consolidat­ing their final candidates because this is a coalition of a group.

He said they will announce their complete lineup during the filing of COC.*

 ?? MERLINDA PEDROSA ?? GRUPO Progreso led by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia
MERLINDA PEDROSA GRUPO Progreso led by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia

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