Negrenses pushing Roxas-Poe tandem

BACOLOD CITY—Two top officials of Negros Occidental are pushing for a “Negrense team” in the 2016 presidential elections.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfred Marañon and Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson are endorsing Interior Secretary Mar Roxas for president and Sen. Grace Poe as his running mate.

“If both run for the same post, they will split the Negrense votes and allow someone else to win,” said Lacson.

Marañon agreed, saying it would not just be the Negros Occidental votes that would be split but also the Visayas votes.

“It would be ideal for Poe to run as Roxas’ vice president. That will give her six years on-the-job training for the presidency in the future, Marañon said.

Both Roxas and Poe have roots in Negros Occidental.The family of Roxas’ mother, Judy Araneta-Roxas, used to own sugar centrals in Bago City before these were sold.

Actress Susan Roces, adoptive mother of Poe, was born in Bacolod City on July 28, 1941 to Dr. Jesus Tonggoy Sonora and Purificacion Levy. Her family belongs to the Locsin clan of Negros.

Lacson said that while Poe appeared to be ahead in the survey of presidential candidates, it would be ideal if she would run for vice president.

“There are predictions that the Philippine economy will be the 16th largest in the world. We need a very good administrator to achieve that,” Lacson said.

He said that if Roxas succeeds President Aquino in 2016, and Poe later becomes Roxas’ successor in 2022, it would mean 18 years or three administrations of continuous anti-corruption campaigns that will definitely boost the country’s growth.

Roxas should be the presidential bet because of his competence, argued Lacson.

He also noted that Roxas helped get the Bureau of Internal Revenue to lift its imposition of advance value -added tax on raw sugar, and push the creation of the Negros Island Region, a new region that would be composed of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.