TRIBU PULA. Local ruling party Grupo Progreso announces its kick-off activities for today, 25 March 2022, on the start of the local campaign period. The following is a release from the Bacolod City Public Information Office. We print it in full:
LEONARDIA RALLIES BACOLODNONS FOR A 15-0 WIN
Mayor Evelio Leonardia invited his legion of “Tribu Pulahan'” supporters to join the 2 p.m. mass Friday at the Sacred Heart Church (Lupit) that will be followed by a caravan around the city’s main thoroughfares enroute to the Pope John Paul II Tower at the Bacolod Reclamation Area.
In a press conference at the Business Inn held after the signing of the Grupo Progreso Platform of Government, Leonardia also called on Bacolodnons to join him and the GP slate in a festive opening salvo cum rally on Saturday, March 26, at the public plaza.
The city mayor, who is seeking a third and final term, is wooing Bacolod voters with a solid track record to boot.
He echoed his call for a 15-0 win for the GP slate.
To his credit, Bacolod’s economy soared with the entry of major real estate projects, including those of Ayala Land, Inc., Megaworld, Rockwell, Cebu Landmasters, SM Development Corp., among others, on top of more than 20 other property developers that opened thousands of jobs to the locals.
The business environment attracted new investments, both local and corporate players, with business registrations peaking at 25,637 in 2019, before the COVID pandemic was declared in early 2020.
Leonardia is upbeat of an accelerated economic recovery once the health crisis is over, especially now that Bacolod’s status has already been de-escalated to Alert Level 1 together with 37 other local government units in the country out of more than 2,000 LGUs.
If we are in school, it means that (being placed under Alert Level 1), Bacolod could be a gold medalist or a class valedictorian, he said.
It simply shows that our COVID management strategy is effective because we are hitting our targets, including a successful vaccination roll-out that made us No. 1 in Western Visayas, he added.
But, he said, all these accomplishments would not have been possible if not for the hardwork of Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, whom he had appointed as the local IATF chairman; the Emergency Operations Center-Task Force led by former Councilor and then City Administrator Em Legaspi-Ang and volunteer-doctor Chris Sorongon, a Rotarian and now GP aspirant for councilor.
“We have to give credit where credit is due,” he emphasized. He also recognized the frontline roles of incumbent Councilors Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Archie Baribar, Israel Salanga and Carl Lopez and Dindo Ramos as well as BING Program in-charge Marlon Solidum and Ed Guillem, Jonathan Diaz, Jr., Cashmere Montalvo ABC President and Barangay Captain Lady Gles Pallen and SK Federation Chair Ayesha Villaflor.
Incidentally, those who are no longer with the GP, are the same people who did not perform or made contributions to help the people at the height of the pandemic despite the fact that they were given specific tasks, he added.
MULTI-AWARDED CITY MAYOR, LGU
A recipient of the DILG’s Seal of Good Local Governance, a gold standard in efficient LGU management, Bacolod City had also been recognized twice–in 2007 and 2021– as the “Most Business-Friendly Highly-Urbanized City” by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the biggest and the most prestigious business organization in the country, all under Leonardja’s watch.
Bacolod was also adjudged the “Most Livable City”, the “Most Competitive City” by the Department of Trade and Industry and the “Best Performing LGU in Western Visayas by the DILG, among others.
PLATFORM OF GOVERNMENT
In the spirit of transparency and ensure accountability to Bacolod electorate, it has been a GP tradition to issue a written platform of government duly signed by members of the slate.
It serves as a reminder for us and the people can refer to it and see if we have delivered our campaign promises, Leonardia said.
GP’s newest member, businessman Dan Atayde, a political neophyte running for Bacolod’s lone congressional seat, also signed the document.
The group’s three-pronged program is anchored on health and social services, economy and infrastructure and Smart City framework for local government.
GP’s vision, Leonardia said, is “for Bacolod City to further develop into a more livable, vibrant and resilient city where business and industry shall flourish in a climate of peace and fair competition, inclusive, innovative, and sustainable, where government serves all its people responsibly and compassionately”.
“We will empower our government units with the ability to deliver quality services, and for the people of Bacolod to be active participants in all our development programs and projects,” the GP mission states.
