Cebu City ex-mayor Tomas Osmeña’s camp endorses Robredo for president

FILE PHOTO: Vice President Leni Robredo speaks before supporters during the launching of Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon-Cebu at the Plaza Independencia in downtown Cebu City on Sunday, April 28, 2019. (Photo by JUNJIE MENDOZA, Inquirer Visayas )

CEBU CITY — The camp of former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña is endorsing Vice President Leni Robredo as their candidate for president in the 2022 elections.

“BOPK (Bando Osmena Pundok Kauswagan) likes leaders who listen and respond. Leni leads the pack as the best choice. Pacquiao and Ping are also good choices. Bong Go is a poor choice and Marcos, the worst choice,” said Osmeña in a text message.

Osmeña is no longer running for an elective post in the 2022 polls but his wife, former City Councilor Margot Osmeña, is seeking the mayoral seat of Cebu City.

Margot will be up against newly installed Mayor Michael Rama who has already endorsed the candidacy of Senator Bong Go for president.

In a separate text message, Margot said that it is only Robredo who listened to the plight of workers from the Business Process Outsourcing firms, where thousands are employed in Cebu City.

“Why Leni? VP Leni agreed to petition Comelec to create special precincts for the 100,000 call center agents who work in one area in Cebu City. Presently they will have extreme difficulty voting due to their abnormal work hours and commuting problems to their respective distant precincts,” said Margot in a separate text message.

“If our government allows 500,000 Pinoys abroad to vote, what more the 1.6 million agents in our cities. We ask that Cebu City be the pilot agent as 90% are working in one contiguous area,” she added.

Former mayor Tomas Osmeña lost in 2019 to the late mayor Edgardo Labella.

Although Osmeña lost, his group still holds eight of the 18 seats at the Cebu City Council.

The Osmeñas also remain influential to majority of the 80 barangay captains in Cebu City.