PROVINCIAL political party One Cebu has yet to arrive at a consensus among its members on the national candidates to support in the May 2022 elections.
In a press conference Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said all candidates were being considered and a thoughtful consideration is needed since they don’t want to make a choice that would break the party apart.
“It is in our unity that I guess, we are gaining strength. We must consolidate to keep that strength,” Garcia said.
On Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Garcia said supporting him for President would not sit well with the leaders of One Cebu.
According to the governor, the senator set an appointment to visit her at the Capitol, but it was cancelled only for her to find out that he had visited her opponent.
“How can we support a presidential candidate who is supporting my opponent?” said Garcia.
But Garcia said if the senator wanted to meet her at the Capitol, she would still receive him as a courtesy to him for being a senator and a former colleague in the House of Representatives.
On Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Deputy Speaker and Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia has previously said he is being seriously considered by One Cebu.
However, the governor said her son-in-law, 5th District Rep. Vincent “Duke” Frasco is naturally sympathetic to presidential aspirant and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“Allow me to stay in the middle for the time being,” the governor said.
Among the vice-presidential candidates, Garcia said Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has the edge considering that her daughter, Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco, is Duterte-Carpio’s spokesperson.
Cebu, including the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, is considered a vote-rich province that can give a significant advantage to candidates vying for national positions.
Garcia said the seven district congressmen and one party-list congressman are under the banner of One Cebu and they will be the ones that need to be listened to, together with the mayors and key officials in the Province.