Three of the biggest political parties in Cebu will unite for the future of the Queen City of the South.
Cebu City Acting Mayor Michael Rama, City Councilor Raymond Garcia, and former City Councilor Jose "Joey" Daluz III have agreed to merge and unify as one for the 2022 National and Local elections.
On Wednesday night, September 22, a photo was posted by Councilor Garcia showing the three together with the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino who raised their hands.
Secretary Dino revealed that the three parties will unify in the upcoming elections to get a landslide victory in favor of the candidates in their line-up.
The Secretary said that under the unified party, Rama will run for Mayor, Garcia will be his running mate while Daluz will be the unified party’s campaign manager.
In June of this year, Rama said that they will "only have one enemy" referring to the party of the former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña of the Bando Osmeńa Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).
In the same month, Kusug named their officials which includes Garcia as president; Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo as vice president for the north district; Cebu City Legal Officer Rey Gealon as vice president for the south district; Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera as secretary-general; Mayor Edgardo Labella as deputy secretary-general; Cebu City Councilor Niña Mabatid as auditor; local school board chairman Raddy Diola as treasurer; and former Apas barangay captain Ramil Ayuman as PRO.
Kugi Uswag Sugbo or Kusug is a political party founded by former Mayor Alvin Garcia which was launched in June 2021.
Partido Barug, which is commonly known as BARUG, is another political party founded by Rama. Barug has been affiliated with PDP-Laban since 2018.
Meanwhile, Partido Panaghiusa, which was revived by Daluz, was organized by his late mother, broadcaster Nenita "Inday Nita" together with late Cebu City Councilor Antonio Cuenco and the late Senator John Henry "Sonny" Osmeña.
Although the three political leaders have expressed their unity in the upcoming elections, they have yet to announce the names of their official slate.
The Commission on Elections has set the schedule for the filing of the certificates of candidacy from October 1 to October 8. (PR)