GRUPO Progreso (GP) led by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia will file their certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Election (Comelec) office for the 2019 elections Thursday, October 11, the first day of filing.
Leonardia, along with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilors Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, Cindy Rojas, and Bartolome Orola and former councilor Roberto Rojas confirmed Wednesday, October 10, they will present their complete line-up at the Business Inn.
After that, they will attend the 12:15 p.m. mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral and will march towards the Bacolod Arts and Youth Sports (Bays) Center, Leonardia said.
He said they will hold a short rally at the Bays Center then file their COC at the local Comelec office.
GP’s line-up also includes incumbent Congressman Greg Gasataya of Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).
Their slate for councilors includes six incumbent councilors including Orola, Rojas, Renecito Novero, Dindo Ramos, Elmer Sy and Ana Marie Palermo; and former councilors Al Victor Espino, Jose Carlos Lopez and Archie Baribar.
Also included in their slate for councilors are aspirants Simple Distrito, mother of Councilor Distrito, Israel Salanga and Marlon Solidum.
Leonardia said this is a blockbuster team, a solid, committed and the chemistry and the relationship are very tight and very high.
Leonardia and his team will be wearing red t-shirts and he encouraged their friends and supporters to join them in the filing of COC.
“We will have a sea of red army in the city and this a coalition of different major political parties,” Leonardia said.
He said it’s their dream that their line-up will be strong because they want to come up with a 15-0 victory in 2019 elections.
Familiaran said Espino, Ramos, Salanga and Solidum are members of the NPC’s political party; Lopez and Distrito of Nationalista Party (NP); and Orola, Rojas, Novero, Baribar and Sy are members of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Meanwhile, Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. of Magbinuligay Kita sa Kauswagan (MKK) led by former mayor Monico Puentevella, said they are planning to file their COCs on October 16.
He said their group is composed of MKK members, Abang-Lingkod party-list, civil and social non-government organizations, and cause-oriented groups.
He added they are still finalizing the name of their group which will be called “Asenso for better Bacolod, asenso for best Bacolod or asenso for booming Bacolod or ABB.”
Gamboa noted that they are still on the process of consolidating their final candidates because this is a coalition of a group.
He said they will announce their complete line-up during the filing of COC.