Candidates start wooing Leyte voters

TACLOBAN CITY, March 30 (PNA) -- Local candidates in Leyte province have launched their campaign activities in their bid to succeed in the May 9 elections.

In Palo town, Liberal Party candidates led by incumbent town Mayor Remedios Petilla started their house-to-house campaign on Tuesday.

The matriarch of Petilla clan, the leading political family in the province, is seeking a third and final term as the town’s local chief executive.

The team’s campaign is centered on medical and health assistance and services, and bringing services to villages.

Remedios, the mother of senatorial bet Jericho Petilla and Governor Dominic Petilla, is running against former Mayor Teodoro Sevilla, who is supported by the Romualdez family led by senatorial candidate Rep. Ferdinand Martin.

In Tanauan town, Mayor Pelagio Tecson, Jr. kicked off his campaign through a holy mass and motorcade around the town.

Recognized as model in post-Yolanda rehabilitation, Tecson’s campaign is centered on “integrity and performance” that serves as important benchmark of choosing a good leader.

"A leader who can deliver, find ways to bring life into reality and bring difference to the lives of people," Tecson said.

He added that performance of leaders after the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda is the new barometer of people in choosing the next leader.

Tecson’s re-election bid is challenged by Councilor Ina Gimenez, wife of former Mayor Mark Gimenez.

In Tacloban, Councilor Cristina Romualdez kicked off her campaign through a motorcade from San Jose to the northern village of the city and ended at the Tacloban City Astrodome.

Romualdez, a former actress now seeking to replace her husband, Mayor Alfred, said she will continue what the latter had started to improve the lives of this city's residents.

"I have to make sure of helping the poor by creating more jobs, increasing tourism potential and implementing livelihood programs," said Romualdez in a brief media interview before her campaign kick-off.

She admitted that her husband's performance in the post-Yolanda rehabilitation process has a great impact in her candidacy.

Meanwhile, her opponent Councilor Neil Glova, a former broadcaster, started his campaign through a house-to-house visit.

Glova’s team, composed of incumbent city councilors launched their house-to-house campaign, which according to him, “a way of showing the people that their group is sincere in serving the people and will not use government money to fund their election campaign.”

He labelled their campaigning style as "lakad-cade" and "pedi-cade" in contrast to what he calls lavish campaign of his opponent.

“This is our way of assuring the people that we will bring government services to those who are in need once we are elected,” he said.

For congressional position, in the second legislative district of Leyte, neophyte candidate Henry Ong held a motorcade and house visits.

Their campaign started at the eastern part of the second district going to the western part of the province. The 2nd district of Leyte is the biggest district in the province with 14 municipalities.

Ong is running against incumbent district Rep. Sergio Apostol, a veteran solon whose family ruled the legislative district for three decades. (PNA)
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