Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (Facebook)

Administration senatorial candidate Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has gained the endorsement of his fellow Caviteño, Mayor Maricel Torres of General Mariano Alvarez.

Torres specifically favored Lacson's promise to champion the cause of local government units (LGUs) should the latter make a successful comeback in the Senate during the May 12 mid-term elections.  

Torres lauded Lacson for fighting for LGUs and their share of the national budget for development programs through his Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE) initiative.

"Of course, we respect our senator whose BRAVE program gives special attention to the small towns," the lady mayor said in Filipino at the proclamation rally of Team 1GMA, on the first day of the campaign season for local officials on Friday, March 28.

She hailed Lacson for recognizing the needs and priorities of small towns and cities like General Mariano Alvarez (GMA).

Because of this, she said she will support and campaign for the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial bet.

"Our senator saw the needs of the smaller towns like GMA. So we will support and campaign for Senator Ping Lacson!" she said.

Lacson has advocated BRAVE, where LGUs get more autonomy and resources, as well as the accompanying accountability, in implementing key development projects, programs and activities.

He noted that billions of pesos in the yearly budget is not used, and could fund development and livelihood projects at the barangay, municipal, and provincial levels.