PRESIDENT-ELECT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte expressed their thanks to the One Cebu Party for contributing a huge number of votes during the May 9, 2022 elections.

Marcos Jr. and Duterte graced the mass oath taking ceremony of the party which was led by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu on Tuesday, June 29, 2022.

The president-elect said he became a “beneficiary” of the good work done by Garcia and other local leaders in Cebu during the elections on May 9.

Marcos Jr. further stated that his win in Cebu was historic as it has “never fallen to a Marcos to win big in Cebu before.” He also recalled that the only time a Marcos won in Cebu was during the 1969 presidential election wherein Marcos Sr. won against Sergio Osmeña Jr., who was a Cebuano.

Now that he will be assuming the country’s top post, Marcos Jr. said the cry for unity should continue even if the campaign period has already ended.

“Ang sigaw ng pagkakaisa ay hindi pa natatapos. Ipagpapatuloy natin yan dahil ang ating pagkakaisa ay kinakailangan na ngayon at inaasahan ng ating mga kababayan upang tayo naman ay makapagdala ng kaunting ginhawa sa kanilang buhay,” he added.

In joy and in sorrow

In her speech, Duterte assured Cebu’s officials that her office would be open if they needed assistance.

Duterte added that she may not be here in Cebu during joyous moments but she assured that she will be around in times of sorrow.

“Which of course God forbid. We pray that it will never happen in the next six years pero mao kana ang saad nako sa inyoha. Sa inyong kaguol ug kasakit kauban ninyo ko,” said Duterte.

Garcia officially took her oath of office as the governor of the province before Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg.

The other officials who also took their oath were house representatives, board members, mayors, vice mayors, and councilors who were allies of the Garcia-led party.