TACLOBAN CITY -- Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan and Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone expressed their support for Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential bid.
In his statement posted on his Facebook account on Tuesday, Ongchuan said: “In consultation with our local leaders, and after assessment of the character and track record of all presidential aspirants, it came to our collective discernment that the candidate who best fits is VP Leni Robredo.”
Governor Ongchuan is the chairperson of the National Unity Party in the province.
He has the backing of the local leaders as almost all of the 24 incumbent mayors in Northern Samar, as well as district congressmen and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan belong to the party.
Laoang Mayor Harris Ongchuan who is running for a congressional seat for the province’s second district, and First District Congressman Paul Daza, who is on his reelection bid, had also expressed their support for VP Leni’s run for the presidency.
Said endorsements aim to consolidate Northern Samar for VP Leni, who previously won in the province during the 2016 elections for her current post.
“With her kind of leadership, we believe that VP Leni will be beside us in our efforts for Sustained Progress (in Northern Samar),” Ongchuan added.
He likewise agrees with President Rodrigo Duterte that the next President of the Republic should be compassionate, decisive, and a good judge of people’s character.
It can also be recalled that the president also prefers a lawyer to be the president, of which VP Leni is the only one among the top five candidates.
Meanwhile, PDP-Laban Vice President for the Visayas and Eastern Samar Gov. Evardone also endorsed VP Leni's candidacy.
“My decision to endorse VP Leni carries the blessing of the President," Evardone said.
Evardone said he went to Malacañang last Feb. 14 to inform the president of his inclination to support Robredo because he sees in her the sincerity of a leader to help the poor. Robredo has been known to have extended support to Eastern Samar even during the Post 'Yolanda' recovery efforts.