CEBU CITY, Cebu–Now that the One Cebu party has endorsed UniTeam's Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s presidential candidacy, the Palace hopeful feels that he is one step closer to victory in next month's national elections.
“If you remember one event few months ago I teased you nandito kaming dalawa ni (I was here with) Inday Sara and I remember I said, ‘Hindi kami aalis dito hanggang narinig na natin ang iyong matamis na oo (We’re not leaving here until we hear your sweet yes),'" Marcos said in his speech during the covenant signing between One Cebu and the UniTeam on Tuesday, April 12.
He was referring to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
“And I can attest to the fact napakatamis ng oo ninyo, (that the yes you gave was very sweet, indeed) One Cebu,” he followed up.
Earlier in the day, One Cebu released a statement signed by Garcia declaring support for Marcos’s presidential candidacy.
This declaration completes One Cebu’s endorsement for the UniTeam presidential-vice presidential tandem of Marcos and his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
“I whispered to the Majority Floor Leader and I said ‘Sumama sa atin yung One Cebu, sumama sa atin yung Cebu Island, may pag-asa na tayong manalo (One Cebu has joined us, Cebu Island has joined us, we now have a chance to win),” the Ilocano bet said as he shared an anecdote.
Cebu is widely known as the most vote-rich province in the country, as it is home to 3,252,696 registered voters.
However, despite the provincial ruling party’s full endorsement of the UniTeam tandem, rival candidates continue to challenge the Marcos-Duterte alliance’s hold over the province.
For instance, the Cebu chapter of the Ikaw Muna movement originally aligned with Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso donned the color pink and endorsed opposition leader and presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo last April 4.
VP Robredo’s campaign will also launch a grand rally in Cebu slated for April 21.