CEBU CITY—President-elect Rodrigo Duterte last night celebrated his victory with key allies in Cebu province, which delivered over one million votes for him, at a thanksgiving party here.
“We have to say thank you to the people supporting him,” Pantaleon Alvarez, who was handpicked by Duterte to become the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, told GMA News.
Joining Duterte in the private party at the Cebu Country Club were 280 guests, including Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Alvarez, incoming Cabinet members Alfonso Cusi of Energy and Vitaliano Aguirre III of Justice, and former Cebu Gov. Emilio “Lito” Osmeña.
The other guests included local businessmen Chito Clavano and Johnny Paras, members of the Veloso clan and Duterte family from Danao City, according to Jonjie Gonzalez of the Bisaya Napud Movement, which played a key role in the Duterte campaign.
Spotted arriving at the country club were outgoing Talisay Mayor Johnny delos Reyes and basketball legend Ramon Fernandez.
Only personalities who helped in the Duterte campaign were invited to the party, Gonzalez said.
A staff member of incoming Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña confirmed to GMA News he would attend the party along with his wife, acting Cebu City Mayor Margot Osmeña.
While he campaigned for losing presidential candidate Mar Roxas, Osmeña said he and Duterte remained good friends.
Private gathering
Cebu delivered 1,022,805 votes to Duterte’s landslide victory in the May 9 presidential elections.
The party was a private gathering of individuals who “pushed to have a Bisaya” in Malacañang, and was not open to the media, Gonzalez said.
“There will be Cebu lechon definitely. We will be serving wine. There will be a short entertainment,” he told the Inquirer by phone. “It will be an informal affair. It’s a private affair. No media.”
Leading the performers were Duterte’s son, Sebastian, Cebuana singer Anna Fegi, Kurt Fick, first Sinulog Idol champion Jacqueline Chang and other singers.
As of press time last night, Duterte had not delivered his message.
Another thanksgiving party was being planned for June 25 possibly at the Cebu City Sports Center, according to Doris Mongaya, Visayas media coordinator of the Duterte Campaign Team and one of the organizers of the One Love, One Nation Cebu organizing team.
“This is open to all groups, all supporters, all individuals,” Mongaya said in an interview.
On June 25, the Cebu Alliance for Change (#call4change) Movement would be launched to monitor the implementation of the Duterte administration’s pro-people agenda.