Ilocos Sur execs led by Narvacan Mayor Chavit Singson

VIGAN City – LOCAL officials of Ilocos Sur led by Narvacan Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson, Sr. on Thursday vowed to deliver more than 90 percent of the total votes of their province on May 9 to the presidential-vice presidential UniTeam tandem of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Singson, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), and his son Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Singson, led the mayors and other local officials of the province in welcoming Marcos of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) and Duterte of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) who campaigned in Ilocos Sur and attended a grand rally at the Quirino Stadium here.

“Lahat, lahat ng bayan [boboto sa BBM-Sara]. Siguro tantiya ko more than 90% [of votes ang mai-deliver] dahil nagkaisa na ang lahat ng mga opisyales at hindi lang ‘yan, ang nauna ay ‘yung mga volunteer sumunod na lang ang karamihan ng mga elected offiicial, ‘di lang dito (Ilocos Sur), sa buong bansa. Umikot na ako being the president of the League of Mayors of the Philippines. Ganun lahat, mga volunteer ang nangunguna, sumusunod na lang ‘yung mga elected official,” Singson told reporters in an ambush interview after the grand rally at the Quirino Stadium Thursday afternoon.

Chavit Singson promised all-out support for the BBM-Sara tandem, including resources for the elections.

“Well ang pagkakaisa namin ay sigurado, walang kalaban [ang] halos karamihan sa mga mayor at mga provincial at local official. So nandiyan ang pagkakaisa namin maski may hindi pagkakaintindihan na maliit lang ang mga ilang bayan pero iisa ang ulo namin, BBM-Inday Sara,” Singson said, adding that BBM-Sara is the winning tandem not only in the North but also in the entire Philippines.

“Ah maganda ang feedback sa kampanya at kagaya nga ng sinabi ko kanina nung nagsalita ako sa grand rally in Quirino Stadium, kailangan ang pagmamahal na ibinibigay natin kay BBM, ganun din ang pagmamahal na ibibigay natin kay Inday Sara dahil nakakahiya kung mapagiwanan siya dito, kailangan halos pantay ang boto,”
Singson said.

Duterte expressed gratitude to all officials who have been extending support to her vice presidential bid and candidacies of the UniTeam candidates.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa mga kaibigan natin sa Ilocos Sur at Ilocos Norte sa kanilang mainit na pagtanggap sa akin dito at nagpapasaamat din po ako sa aking mga kaibigan, sina Apo Bongbong Marcos at Apo Chavit Singson sa kanilang pagho-host po sa ating pagbisita dito sa kanilang mga probinsya,” Duterte said in a separate ambush interview.

Some of the UniTeam senatorial candidates who joined Marcos-Duterte at the meet-and-greet at the Provincial Farmers Livelihood Development Center here were former Defense Sec. Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro, ex-presidential spokesman Harry Roque, Atty. Larry Gadon, and Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta.

The Ilocos Sur leaders’ commitment followed similar declarations made by Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc and mayors of the province on Wednesday and local executives in Cagayan Valley, including Governors Rodolfo “Rodito” Albano lll of Isabela and Manuel Mamba of Cagayan, on Tuesday and Monday, respectively.

The provincial visits are part of Mayor Duterte’s Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas Ride (MNPR), a south-north journey for spreading UniTeam’s message of hope and unity, which she launched in Davao City early this month.

From Ilocos Norte, BBM’s home province, the journey took them Thursday to nearby Ilocos Sur, with stops in several towns, including Bad, Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Sto. Domingo, San Ildefonso, Bantay, and Narvacan where Singson was scheduled to hold a grand rally for UniTeam Alliance candidates late afternoon Thursday.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco