Stars, senatoriables grace parade
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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MOVIE stars and senatoriables were present in Tuesday's 73rd Araw ng Dabaw celebration.
Personalized campaign materials with the names of national candidates like caps and fans were distributed during parade.
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Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte also maintained that the festival is for everyone even if opposing parties are in attendance.
"Everybody is welcome. Whoever may come they will be treated as guests, hindi politiko," Duterte said.
Liberal Party senatoriables outnumbered the Nacionalista Party senatoriables, who dropped by the city over the course of the festival.
Clad in yellow shirts, Bukidnon Representative Neric Acosta, Muntinlupa Representative Ruffy Biazon, former Cebu governor Emilio "Lito" Osmeña, Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros, Muslim women's rights activist Yasmin Busran-Lao, and Senator Ralph Recto with Batangas Governor Vilma "Vi" Santos-Recto came.
Nacionalita candidate Senator Pia Cayetano also came as a guest during the Mutya ng Dabaw pageant. Senator Bong Revilla, who came with actor Phillip Salvador, dropped by during the parade. Gabriela representative Liza Maza also came with local women movement leader Luz Ilagan.
Former Justice Secretary Silvestre "Bebot" Bello who runs under the administration party chatted with Duterte, who stayed longer than the previous years to watch the parade.
"It will be symbolic for me as this will be the last time that I will preside over the Araw ng Dabaw as city mayor. After the May elections, I will no longer be mayor and a new one shall be elected. And I don’t think I will be mayor again," Duterte said in his television program Sunday. (Jade C. Zaldivar)
