Braganza, LP go ‘grassroots’ in sorties

The administration ticket of Hernani Braganza and Arturo Lomibao in Pangasinan launched what they said was a grassroots campaign in the province on April 1.

“We will go directly to the voters to listen to their concerns and to deliver our messages,” said Braganza, Alaminos City mayor and Liberal Party (LP) candidate for governor.

“We will attend the rallies organized by our local candidates in the town plazas, but we will devote most of our time interacting with our fellow Pangasinenses in the barrios,” he said in a statement.

Braganza admitted that grassroots campaigning might be physically taxing because Pangasinan has nearly 1.6 million voters.

He said, however, that he and Lomibao, a former national police chief, are physically and mentally prepared for the campaign.

“Grassroots campaigning is the only way to counter the traditional use of guns, goons and gold by our political rivals,” said Braganza, a former student activist.

“Aside from the Liberal Party machinery, organizations in the grassroots level have committed to campaign for our ticket and ensure the victory of Team P-Noy in Pangasinan,” he said.

“Our youth groups have committed to campaign actively in social media to reach voters in the cities and other urban areas,” he said.

Barangay sorties and town hall meetings would also allow LP candidates to spend within the limit prescribed by law and the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Braganza said.

Under the law, a local candidate is allowed to spend only P3 for every voter. This means that a local candidate in Pangasinan should spend only P4.8 million for the province’s 1.6 million voters during the campaign period.

“Traditionally, candidates are obliged to provide food and spend for transportation during big rallies. That, in itself, is a violation of election laws,” Braganza said. Yolanda Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon