No campaigning in Mandaue City fiesta

ORGANIZERS of the Mandaue City fiesta celebration on May 8 said candidates are welcome to attend the festivities on the condition that they don’t campaign and wear T-shirts and post campaign materials.

Sarah Cortes, wife of re-electionist Mayor Jonas Cortes, said they will observe the Commission on Elections (Comelec) campaign rules during the fiesta celebration of their patron St. Joseph.

Among the programs lined up for the fiesta celebration include the Miss Mandaue 2013 pageant that features 12 candidates, Cortes said in a press conference launching the Miss Mandaue pageant at J. Centre Mall last Thursday.

Cortes said both city officials and candidates have so far been following Comelec rules by removing the campaign materials along major thoroughfares.

“They will be there functioning in their official duties like giving awards to the candidates. There will be no wearing of campaign shirts and no displaying of campaign materials,” she said.

Cortes said the color theme for Miss Mandaue this year will be black and white, ensuring that no campaign colors will be used.

Jojin Pascual, creative director for Miss Mandaue, said the pageant night will be held at the Mandaue City Heritage Plaza on May 7.

It will be open to the public with no entrance fees.

“I am Mandaue” is this year’s fiesta theme which showcases Mandaue City’s progress through the years.

Pascual said they will also resume the Miss Gay pageant in this year’s festivity.

The Mandaue fiesta program is organized by the Cultural, Historical, Educational, Sports and Tourism Foundation (Chest) with support from the Mandaue City government. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos