REP. Eduardo Gullas, who is seeking the Talisay city mayorship, has agreed to join the first round of a Mega Cebu Candidates’ Fora which starts on Wednesday, April 10.
He and Carcar Mayor Nice Apura were among the first to accept the invitation of organizers led by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. to present their platforms in a non-debate format at the Cebu Cultural Center of the UP Cebu campus in Lahug.
Mayoralty and congressional candidates in Cebu’s 1st district will be featured on April 10.
Others who confirmed are independent Carcar mayoral candidate Mariano Alegarbes and San Fernando mayoral candidate Lakambini Reluya.
This was announced yesterday in a press conference at the RAFI office for the launch of the election forum covering 13 cities and towns in Metro Cebu, whose candidates are asked : What is your vision of growth for Cebu?
“This is not going to be a debate. Candidates should be able to give their top five projects for Metro Cebu’s development,” said Carol Ballesteros, RAFI communication and stakeholders relationship manager for Mega Cebu.
April 19 is the turn of candidates in the 5th district and 6th district.
On April 25, candidates for mayor, vice mayor and congressman of Cebu City will be presented in the morning. In the afternoon is the turn of gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial bets.
“We are striving to look for leaders who can address a wide variety of issues. This is the venue where they can best explain who they are, where they want to take the people and the local government and how are they are going to do it. We want voters to compare the responses of the candidates on common issues,” said Eileen G. Mangubat, publisher of Cebu Daily News, co-organizer.
Other partners are the chambers of commerce of Mandaue and Cebu City, the Cebu Business Club, Movement for Liveable Cebu, Cebu Leads Foundation Inc., and Alcordo Advertising.
“We hope that this format encourages all the candidates to explain their platforms. It is a challenge for them to show what they have to offer and their track record,” Mangubat said.
A multi-sectoral panel will ask the candidates questions with representation from business, the academe, youth, civil society and a media outlet.
The public will be encouraged to send questions by text or tweet and to follow the discussion on Twitter hashtag #mcebuforum or the Facebook account of Mega Cebu MCDCB.
Five themes are covered by the Mega Cebu forum – 1. infrastructure, urban planning, zoning and land use, traffic, transportation, 2. poverty alleviation, housing 3. environment, waste management, health, education, 4. culture and heritage, tourism.
Social media will be maximized so that those who can’t attend the forum can follow the discussion, said Evelyn Nacario-Castro, executive director of RAFI.
The activity will be held at the 1,000-seat Cebu Cultural Center of the University of the Philippines Cebu Campus.
Tickets for the event are available for free at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA-7) at Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City and the RAFI office at the Lopez Jaena St., Cebu City./Senior Reporter Marian Z. Codilla