Southern Leyte’s tiny historic town backs Mar-Leni tandem

LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte, March 31 (PNA) -– This tiny historic island town is backing the presidential bid of Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas and running mate Leni Robredo, citing the need to continue what President Benigno Aquino had started.

Although presidential bet Rodrigo Duterte is popular in the province being a native of Maasin City, Limasawa town is loyal to Roxas-Robredo tandem, according to Mayor Melchor Petracorta.

“Personally, I campaign for Roxas because for me, he is the right guy. I'm worried that other candidates may not sustain the good projects of this administration,” said Petracorta, whose nine-year term will end on June 30, 2016.

His brother, Nilo will attempt to replace his post, running against Councilor Grace Joy Esclamado under Vice President Jejomar Binay’s party.

Limasawa, the only island town in Southern Leyte, has a voting population of more than 4,000. 

Despite small fraction of voters, Petracorta said their town was never neglected by the Aquino administration.

In 2013, the mayor ran under the National Unity Party, supporting then presidential candidate Guilbert Teodoro.

This is the smallest town in the province in terms of population. Its land area is only 6.32 square kilometers, but for 2016, the town will get PHP23 million for bottom-up budgeting (BUB) projects, the highest allocation in the province.

The amount will mainly finance the upgrading of the island’s water system, according to the official.

The 2016 BUB allocation is double than what the town got in 2015 for livelihood projects under BUB.

The town’s annual internal revenue allotment has increased to PHP28 million this year, from measly PHP150,000 when he was first elected as mayor in late 1990s.

The island of Limasawa was the site of the First Mass in the Philippines when Portuguese world explorer Ferdinand Magellan ended in the beautiful island looking for spices.

On Easter Sunday of March 31, 1521, Magellan ordered the expedition’s chaplain Fray Pedro de Valderrama to say the mass.

The event was seen to be the start of the Roman Catholicism in the Philippines. (PNA)
FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO