"THE United Negros Alliance (Unega) as a provincial party remains committed to our provincial slate."

This was stressed by its secretary general, Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante, amid the open support of Unega leaders in Second District of Negros Occidental to the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo.

At the vice president's grand rally in Sagay City last Friday, March 11, Escalante along with Second District Rep. Leo Rafeal Cueva and Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon III raised the hand of Robredo as an expression of their support in front of a crowd of about 20,000.

The endorsement of leaders in the district were significant as they all belong to the Unega with him as secretary general and Marañon as chairman, Escalante said.

The party's president Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, meanwhile, is the provincial campaign manager of another presidential aspirant former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Of the 31 mayors in the province, 28 committed to back Marcos and his runningmate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in a meeting early this month.

Escalante said that Unega is committed to support Governior Eugenio Jose Lacson, Ferrer and down to the last council member despite the fact that they support different presidential candidates.

"We also agreed and commited to all the statements of the governor and vice governor that the coalition between Unega and Love Negros is still solid and strong," the mayor added.*