UNA, One Cebu launch alliance

UNITED Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard-bearer Jejomar Binay (third, from left) and his entire slate are endorsed by One Cebu, a party led by its gubernatorial candidate Winston Garcia, in ceremonies launching the UNA-One Cebu alliance in Cebu City. TONEE DESPOJO/CEBU DAILY NEWS

CEBU CITY—Malacañang sa Sugbo may be operational again if Vice President Jejomar Binay is elected President.

In a speech during the launching of One Cebu-United Nationalist Alliance coalition on Tuesday, Binay promised to put up a Malacañang satellite office to personally take care of the needs of Cebuanos.

He also promised that Cebu would get funds for at least one mega project per year during his administration.

“Under my presidency, each region and province will have funding for at least one mega project per year. And we will start here in Cebu,” Binay told at least 3,000 members of UNA and One Cebu, many of them mayors, vice mayors, councilors, barangay officials and barangay workers.

UNA and One Cebu of the Garcias formally launched their alliance on Tuesday before a packed crowd inside the Pacific Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

The Vice President described the alliance as “historic” for the political opposition.

“Today, we have entered into a covenant, binding the United Nationalist Alliance, or UNA, the biggest opposition party today, with One Cebu, the largest opposition coalition in this great province of Cebu,” he said.

Binay was accompanied by his running mate, Sen. Gregorio Honasan, and five UNA senatorial candidates—broadcaster Rey Langit, Princess Jacel Kiram, Parañaque Councilor Alma Moreno, former Special Action Force (SAF) chief Getulio Napeñas and labor leader Allan Montaño.

One Cebu was led by its gubernatorial candidate, Winston Garcia, former general manager of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) during the term of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Other One Cebu leaders who were in the assembly were vice gubernatorial candidate Nerissa Soon-Ruiz; Representatives Gwendolyn Garcia (third district) and Benhur Salimbangon (fourth district); Pablo John Garcia, Winston’s younger brother who is running for representative (seventh district); former Barili Vice Mayor Marlon Garcia, and the Garcia patriarch Pablo Garcia.

Their arrival at Pacific Grand Ballroom was greeted by festive percussion music, as well loud applause by supporters in blue and white, party colors of One Cebu.

It was during the Arroyo administration when the old Customs Building, built in 1910, near Pier 1 was transformed into Malacañang of the South in 2004. But the Aquino administration never used the place, prompting Mayor Mike Rama to described it as a “ghost building.”

Though Binay did not directly identify Malacañang sa Sugbo, the Vice President stressed the need for the Office of the President to have a satellite office in Cebu to bring the national government closer to the people.

“This is the principle of subsidiarity: The agencies that are closer to the people are in a better position to assess and respond to the needs of the people,” he said.

Binay cited the case of Cebu, that even if the provincial government is being run by a member of the Liberal Party, the national government has not undertaken the needed infrastructure projects to solve the problems especially on traffic and flooding.

He recalled that when he raised these problems last year, the Department of Public Works and Highways showed the projects and programs being lined up for Cebu. “But drawings and plans are just that: drawings and plans. And until we put our shovels in the dirt, and until the cement mixers start rolling, they will remain drawings and plans,” he said.

Binay said that under his presidency, he would require the different development councils of each province to submit their plans and would make sure that these were implemented.

In his message, Pablo John Garcia, One Cebu secretary general, recalled how UNA and Binay stood by his sister, Gwendolyn, who was governor of Cebu when she was suspended by Malacañang in 2012.

He said Binay was the only official who stood by her and UNA was the only party that showed support for her and their family.

“All the other presidentiables, they were silent,” he said.

Salimbangon said Binay was the highest ranking government official who went to his district when northern Cebu was battered by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) in 2013.

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