Mayor Mike Directs Team Rama to Intensify Campaign After ALU Endorsed BOPK Bets

Mayor Michael Rama yesterday advised his fellow candidates under Team Rama to intensify their campaign in the grassroots level to explain and convince the voters that they can do more than their opponents to improve the public’s needs if they will be given the chance to manage the city.

The reelectionist mayor issued the statement one day after the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) endorsed the candidacy of his rival, Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña and other candidates of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

“Wala na man ta’y mahimo ana kay may gi-endorse na man sila, ang-ang man og mag crying baby ta. Trabaho, trabaho lang g’yud ta, doblehon ang atong paningkamot,” Rama told the reporters yesterday.

Rama had told ALU-TUCP Chairman Democrito Mendoza, when the latter visited him at the Cebu City Hall a few weeks ago, that he wanted to visit the ALU-TUCP officials to ask their political support.

The mayor recalled that Mendoza told him that there’s no need for him to visit their offices, although the labor union official did not assured him of his support.

Rama, however, did not give so much worry that he and the other Team Rama candidates were not endorsed by the ALU-TUCP officials to their 18,000 members living in the city.

“Sigurado man ko nga bisan og dunay endorsement sa labor union officials kinsa ang botohan duna man g’yuy uban nga dili motoo ana. Naa may uban nga independente og panghuna-huna og tan-awon nila’g kinsa’y maayo,” Rama said.

Of the 20 BOPK candidates who are vying for various elective positions in Cebu City during the forthcoming May 13 Automated Local and National Elections, only former councilor Nestor Archival is not not endorsed by the labor union officials.

Art Barrit, head of the labor union’s education department, said they cannot endorse all the BOPK candidates because they have decided to support the candidacy of Boobi Kintanar whose grandfather Isidro Kintanar helped DYLA secured its franchise.