Friday, February 16, 2007 Mexico folks back Gonzales's bid for congressman
MEXICO -- Residents of this town want to make history in the coming May elections -- to produce the first Mexicano congressman in the country.
To start with, the residents here have rallied behind the attempt of Board Member Aurelio Gonzales Jr., a native of Mexico, to get the congressional seat of Pampanga's third district.
On Saturday, hundreds of residents from this town's 43 barangays joined the general assembly of Gonzales's volunteer-leaders held in Barangay Anao, where the board member was born.
Chito Maniago of Barangay Parian said this election is the chance of Mexicanos to write history by supporting the candidacy of one of their own to grab a House seat.
Gonzales, an engineer by profession, has consistently floated his interest in running for Congress in the upcoming elections. He is expected to go up against former board member Ferdinand Labung of Bacolor, Mayor Francisco Gaddi of Sta. Ana, and former vice mayor Eligio Lagman of the City of San Fernando.
Maniago said "the time is ripe for the vote-rich town to banner its own son (Gonzales) for the position now being held by Representative Rey Aquino.
"You must not forsake your own child," Maniago said before the roar of the crowd that gathered under a public covered court constructed through the initiative of Gonzales.
Now only from Mexico residents did Gonzales get words of support. Bacolor Councilor Melchor Alfonso and Arayat Mayor Luis Espino enjoined Mexico folks to support Gonzales, who was declared "adopted son" of their respective towns for bringing development projects to their constituents.
"If Bacoloreños want Gonzales to become congressman, then the more that Mexicanos should work hard to push their town-mate to win in the coming elections," Alfonso said.
Espino, who joined Gonzales in bolting the camp of Pampanga Mark Lapid in favor of Board Member Lilia Pineda, dropped by the general assembly to root for Gonzales, whom he described as the benefactor of various infrastructure projects in Arayat. (ABL)
