NINE governors in the Visayas have signed a manifesto affirming their support to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his Bagong Pilipinas campaign.
The manifesto was signed during the kick-off ceremony for the 455th founding anniversary celebration of Cebu Province at the Capitol Social Hall on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.
The signatories were Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado, Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, Siquijor Gov. Jake Villa, Guimaras Gov. Joaquin Carlos “JC” Nava, Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson, and Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado.
Garcia and Vice Governor Hilario Davide III led the signing of the manifesto of support.
Challenge
Garcia, in her speech, challenged the rest of the 82 governors in the country to express their support for the current administration.
She said unity among leaders has a positive effect on developing the country.
“This is a statement and a commitment as well as a challenge to my fellow governors that now and more than ever, let our voices ring out in the entire Philippines. We need to move forward, and we must move forward, and we can only do these with a united country,” Garcia said.
Before the Visayas governors signed the manifesto, the local leaders of Cebu had already signed the manifesto, including officials from the towns and component cities, as well as the highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue.
Guest
First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, the event’s guest of honor, received the framed copies of the manifestos for the President from the Cebu Provincial Board, the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter, the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter, the Philippine Councilors League Cebu Chapter, the Association of Barangay Councils Federation, and the Sangguniang Kabataan Provincial Federation.
In her speech, the First Lady was emotional with the support of the local officials for her husband.
“Today what you did—I mean, the showing of the unity—is like, it’s really so touching,” Araneta-Marcos said.
Araneta-Marcos added that the administration of her husband was not perfect and full of flaws; however, she was disappointed with all the negativity and lack of appreciation for the President’s accomplishments. / EHP