Cavite Liberal Party Rep throws support behind Mayor Sara’s Presidential bid
Kawit, Cavite — Cavite First District Rep. Francis Gerald “Boy Blue” Aguinaldo Abaya on Friday threw his support behind the possible presidential candidacy of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio “Walang opo-oposisyon sa mag-amang Duterte, maging ang Pangulo o si Mayor Sara. Kapag kailangan mo ng tulong, naroon sila. Dahil sa malasakit na ‘yan, buong puso kong inaalay ang suporta ko sa kandidatura ni Mayor Sara para sa pagka-presidente sa 2022,” Abaya said in a telephone interview.
Abaya stressed that his decision is entirely his own, and does not reflect the views of other Liberal Party members in Cavite. “We all have our own minds in the Liberal Party,” he explained. “This is my own.”
He revealed that the assistance in terms of projects from the President, and even from the Davao City mayor, have been “continuous and heavy”, be it “ayuda”, medical help, burial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD), and others.
“I do not know the President, nor do I know the Mayor from Davao City, and I am from the opposition,” he pointed out. “Still the assistance keeps on coming. There is just no way I can ignore the kindness and support of the President and his daughter, especially now when my constituents in the 1st district continue to suffer because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-19) pandemic.” Abaya said his support for Mayor Duterte-Carpio’s candidacy is anchored on the generous programs of her father, and the “promise of continuity” should she succeed him as the next President of the Philippines in the next six years.
The Cavite Representative likewise pointed to Mayor Duterte-Carpio’s qualities of being “independent-minded and principled”, both of which swayed him to make his decision to support her should she decide to run for President. “I especially liked her stand not to run when her father said he will run for Vice-President, because they have an agreement that only one Duterte should hold national office.
“That, for me, shows Mayor Sara is a very principled politician, and is not an opportunist,” he noted.
Abaya went on to thank the President for giving assistance and support to his move to upgrade the Kawit Kalayaan Hospital to a Level 2 District Hospital under House Bill 7123, which he filed last July 20 at the 18th Congress.
The measure proposed that the public hospital be upgraded from 25 beds to 100 beds. Abaya said the President’s full support will help his urban poor constituents who desperately need affordable and accessible healthcare facilities and services amid the Covid-19 scourge.
The Kawit Kalayaan Hospital is located at Barangay San Sebastian, Kawit, Cavite. “Ikinagagalak ko pong ibalita na patuloy and suporta ng ating Pangulo sa panukalang inihain ko sa kongreso para sa pag-upgrade ng Kawit Kalayaan Hospital upang madagdagan ang kapasidad nito mula 25 hanggang 100 hospital beds,” he said.
