The Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate received its biggest colelctice endorsement yet at the local level following Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia's commitment on Monday, May 5 to support the administration-backed ticket.
Garcia--leader of One Cebu, one of the largest and most influential parties in the Visayas--made this vow exactlt a week before the conduct of the mid-term elections.
Speaking at campaign rally in Dumanjug town attended by President Marcos, Garcia called on Cebu’s more than 3.4 million voters to deliver a solid vote for the Chief Executive’s handpicked "senatoriables".
“This governor will remain steadfast and so will the entire leadership of this entire island in this united One Cebu,” Garcia told a packed crowd at the rally.
“We are for unity, we are for progress because we are One Cebu, solid behind the duly elected president of the Republic of the Philippines who knows how to keep his words, who fulfills his promises—none other than President Ferdinand ‘BBM’ Marcos Jr.,” she said.
“Sinisigurado ko bago ako aalis, aking pinapakiusapan, ating suportahan ang Alyansa senatorial candidates (Before I leave, I want to make sure to ask everyone—let’s support the Alyansa senatorial candidates)," reiterated Garcia, who is seeking a third and final term as governor.
She hammered home her endorsement to the loudly-cheering crowd.
“Ang solid Cebu vote which is equivalent to 3.4 million votes, atin ‘yang ipakita kung anong maibibigay ng pagkakaisa (That’s the solid Cebu vote—3.4 million strong. Let’s show what unity can achieve),” she added.
“Suportahan natin? [S]uportahan natin. Totohanin natin. Papanalunin natin (Shall we support them? Yes, let’s support them. Let’s make it real. Let’s make them win)," she said.
Garcia’s endorsement further cements the powerhouse alliance between the Marcos administration and One Cebu.
Her backing is expected to further boost Alyansa’s already momentum in Cebu, home to more than 3.4 million registered voters, including those in the highly urbanized cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.
The endorsement follows a successful province-wide “suroy-suroy” caravan in mid-April led by Garcia herself, wherein she gave individual endorsements to certain Alyansa bets.
The Dumanjug rally marked Alyansa’s final major push in the vote-rich province ahead of election day.
Erwin Tulfo gets special mention
One of those who received special mentions from Garcia was ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo of Alyansa. Tulfo has always been among the frontrunners based on pre-election surveys.
In her speech, Garcia promised to support Rep. Tulfo's candidacy despite her rift with the latter's brother, Senator Raffy Tulfo.
“But if we really think about it, even within one family, we all think differently. We’re not the same. And I won’t pretend otherwise. In our family, some of us share the same mindset—but even then, others still differ in how they think and act,” Garcia stated.
“And so, in deference with the President (Marcos) and because I do believe this senatoriable is ready to defend Cebu—I say we support Erwin Tulfo,” she added.
Rep. Tulfo thanked Garcia and the people of the province, which posted an 87.48 percent voter turnout during the 2022 elections.
“To Govenor Garcia, One Cebu, and all the Cebuanos, I will not let you down. I will ensure that your vote and support will be worthwhile,” he said.