AS THE campaign for the 2022 ends on Saturday, May 7, the two local coalitions in Bacolod City will hold their miting de avance in separate venues on this day.
The Grupo Progreso (GP) led by incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia will hold their event near the Pope John Paul II Tower at the Reclamation Area.
The Team Asenso led by mayoralty candidate former congressman Alfredo Benitez, on the other hand, will have their grand rally at the Paglaum Sports Complex.
The GP event will start at 3:30 p.m. while that of Team Asenso will start at 3 p.m., statements from both camps said.
The GP slate include Leonardia, congressional candidate Daniel Alfonso Atayde, reelectionist Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, incumbent councilors Cindy Tan-Rojas, Archie Baribar, Renecito Novero, Israel Salanga, Carl Lopez and Dindo Ramos.
Other GP candidates for councilors include former city administrator Em Legaspi-Ang, Ed Guillem, former Barangay Captain Jonathan Diaz, Marlon Solidum, Cashmere Montalvo and Emergency Operation Center Deputy for Medical, Data and Analysis Dr. Chris Sorongon.
Meanwhile, Team Asenso's lineup include Benitez, reelectionist Congressman Greg Gasataya, vice mayoralty candidate former councilor Caesar Distrito and incumbent councilors Simplicia Distrito, Al Victor Espino and Bartolome Orola Sr. and Paoline Sy.
Also in the lineup of Team Asenso are former councilors Homer Bais, Sonya Verdeflor, Celia Flor, and Claudio Jesus "Kalaw" Puentevella, and former vice mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Vladimir Gonzales, Barangay Sum-ag Sangguniang Kabataan chairman Jason Villarosa, and former Third District Board Member Negros Occidental Patrick Lacson.
Sorongon, spokesperson of GP, said that before the event, their group will attend a mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral then they will march towards Pope John Paul II Tower.
"It's the last day of the campaign period that will end at exactly 11:59 p.m. of May 7. So, we are inviting the people of Bacolod to join in our group to continue the progress of Bacolod with Mayor Leonardia and the complete slate of GP," he said.
Sorongon added that they have to strictly comply with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) guidelines to end their campaign on Saturday.
For their part, Distrito, on his Facebook post, also asked Bacolodnons to join their grand rally dubbed as "Fiesta sg Pagbag-o."
Celebrities like Alex Gonzaga, Joseph Marco, and Parokya ni Edgar will grace Team Asenso's event, he added.