Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez. (Photo from his Facebook page)
BACOLOD CITY—Billionaire and former congressman Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who officially became a candidate for mayor of Bacolod on Tuesday, Oct. 5, has put together a unity ticket composed of a diverse set of candidates who will together bring change to the city.
The certificates of candidacy (COCs) of his team were filed through his lawyer Andrei Saril to avoid crowding at the Commission on Elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “Asenso for a Better Bacolod” ticket is composed of candidates from Grupo Progreso (GP) of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the opposition, independents, and the private sector.
Benitez’s running mate is former councilor Caesar Distrito.
Their council candidates are incumbents Al Victor Espino, Bart Orola, and Simple Gamboa, formerly of GP; former vice mayor Thaddy Sayson, former councilors Homer Bais, Celia Flor, Kalaw Puentevella, and Sonia Verdeflor; former three-term Negros Occidental board member Patrick Lacson, businessman Vladimir Gonzales, SK chairman Jason Villarosa, and Pao Sy, daughter of the late councilor Elmer Sy.
“I sought a unity ticket. I wanted a unification of the old, the new, the pro, the anti, and independent. I tried to come up with a diversity of candidates who will represent our future. This diversity is what Bacolod is today,” Benitez said.
His slate does not include a candidate for a congressman.
Benitez said the diversity in the candidates running under his slate shows that there would be no color-coding in governance. Under his administration, everyone would be served equally, regardless of political color.
“This is because our vision and platform are clear. This administration will be program-based. We will deliver basic services in a much easier way, make sure each and everyone will not need to ask for what is rightfully theirs. We will make these changes so that the services of government will go directly to the people without any impediment,” he said.
He said his platform would focus on easy access to services such as housing, health, peace and order, infrastructure, and education, and all the others would come into place,
“We will be very detailed in what we intend to do so there will be no confusion on what we stand for. Our goals, aspirations, our vision will define this team,” he said.