“SAAN ka pa pupunta?”
So said Mabalacat City Councilorable Marjorie Morales-Sambo in a media interview right after filing her Certificate of Candidacy last week.
The lovely daughter of former Mayor Boking Morales gave her remarks as to why she is in the line-up of Mayor Cris Garbo and Vice Mayor Geld Aquino, running for councilor. It was a very good, honest and truthful answer to a question from media colleague Joey Pavia.
From what I understood to be her premise to the “saan ka pa pupunta” (where one should be aligned) answer, is that she simply based it on what the Garbo Administration has been doing to Mabalaquenos.
She had to clarify though that she committed early on to join Team MCG. It was way before his father decided to go for the top city post once again. A classic case for the early bird gets the worm for Boking there.
Prior to the COC filing period, there were talks that she would understandably file with her father when the latter decides to do so. That did not happen.
This same Johnny-come-lately reason was also cited by comebacking Rox Pena who I believe got elected for three consecutive terms under the slate of Boking but is now with Team MCG.
Rox was also quick to add that Garbo’s programs were not present in the nine years he was in the City Council.
For Morales-Sambo, it was a direct endorsement of Garbo’s leadership as the city’s leader (read: father) with her statement:
“Lahat ng programa niya, napakaganda. Napakagaling ng pamumuno ni Mayor Garbo at nakikita naman natin lahat ng ginawa niya para sa lahat ng mga Mabalaqueño. Saan pa ba ako pupunta? Saan ba kayo pupunta?” said Sambo.
The Liga ng Mga Barangay President takes with her 24 of the 27 barangay captains of Pampanga’s youngest city to Team MCG.
Perish the thought that one might be entertaining that her father did not do good. That is not fair. I would counter that by reminding everyone that Boking is the man behind Mabalacat Cityhood and also the Mabalacat City College. It is just that Garbo’s accomplishments in the last four years have eclipsed so fast what Boking has done in his 20 years of service.
From what I have heard, Boking has reserved the 10th slot in his slate for her daughter as candidate. That is such a fatherly gesture.
She ended her remarks: “Saan pa tayo pupunta kundi sa magandang liderato.”
***
The Boking Morales- Christian Halili tandem might just be in for rough sailing for the May 2022 election.
Aside from Morales-Sambo, major allies and known personalities are now with Team MCG.
Of course, first to do that was Atty. Geld Aquino, a nephew of Boking, who won as Garbo’s running mate in 2019 against his very own uncle.
Halili’s campaign manager in 2019 and his first cousin, the fiery speaker Noel Castro is seeking reelection as Councilor under Team MCG.
Another vital cogs are reelectionist councilors Timothy Dee and Gerry Magsino who ran and won in the Halili-Morales slate in 2019. They are now in Team MCG too.
Switching side too is Rox Pena, who completed a 3-term stint under Morales Administration. He has decided to become part of Garbo-Aquino tandem in his comeback bid.
We are just talking about family and friends here who have aligned themselves with Team MCG.
What is left still to talk about? Accomplishments.