Yñiguez, Castañares challenge Mercados

SOUTHERN Leyte Chamber of Commerce Inc. (SLCCI) president Robert Castañares is challenging outgoing Representative Roger Mercado in the Southern Leyte gubernatorial race in 2013 under the Liberal Party.

“For the province of Southern Leyte to break free from poverty, our economy must walk on two legs -- tourism and agriculture,” said Castañares in a phone interview after he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on the last day of filing last October 5 at past 2 p.m.

Castañares ran and lost in the congressional race in the 2007 midterm elections against Mercado. In 2009, the two camps buried political rivalry and worked for a successful private and public partnership.

Castañares, whose family owned the Kuting Reef resort in the municipality of Macrohon, made an impact for two years when the SLCCI along with 13 other chambers in the Eastern Visayas made steps to re-do the Eastern Visayas Regional Economic Development framework.

The partnership of the private sector and the province of Southern Leyte is the envy of other provinces. The said partnership created two successful hubs in tourism — the Agas-Agas Adventure in Sogod, Southern Leyte and the Maasin Zoo in Maasin City.

Three more tourism hubs are still in the can and Castañares hopes to finish all hubs when elected.

Meanwhile, Marissa “Dundeet” Yñiguez-Lerias will run for the lone congressional seat against outgoing Governor Damian Mercado.

In a previous interview with Dundeet, she said she is the choice of the Liberal Party to run for the lower house.

Dundeet is the project manager of Kaya Natin Movement and also was the choice of the late DILG Secretary Robredo to run in the province.

The Mercado brothers, who ruled the province and the capital city of Maasin for almost 20 years, switched political positions. They will run under the National Unity Party (NUP).

The Yñiguezes, who ruled the province for a combined 50 years from the Marcos regime to post Edsa, are back and are challenging the present administration. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)