The mammoth crowd that gathered at Plaza Rizal in last Thursday’s Liberal Party rally proved to all and sundry that the city’s top choice for the coming May 13 elections is still the Gonzaga-Veloso “Kausaban sa Tagbilaran” team. LP official candidate for city mayor Augustinus “Dodong” Gonzaga said both Governor Edgar Chatto and First District Congressman Rene Relampagos had strongly and clearly endorsed him, his running mate Toto Veloso and the whole GV Express Team as the only choice to lead Tagbilaran “Kausaban, Kauswagan, Kaayuhan” (change, progress and prosperity) needed to rebuild and transform this city. Both Gov. Chatto and Cong. Relampagos reiterated the need for a Team P-Noy in City Hall so that projects for the city are more easily secured and implemented. They lamented that the progress in Bohol is neither seen nor felt in the city which is lagging behind as compared to other towns.

Vice Gov. Conching Lim and the three first district board members Yul Lopez, Benjie Arcamo and Abel Damalerio expressed the same disappointment and frustration on the present state of the city and urged Tagbilaranons to vote for the Gonzaga-Veloso and their Team who are very qualified, competent, and proven experienced leaders. The strong endorsements of Chatto and Relampagos had cleared and belied the circulated deceptive campaign hype of the Baba Yap-Mariquit Oppus group that they are the ones supported by the governor and the first district congressman. “Tagbilaranons now have realized and are aware of the deceptions and lies peddled by our opponents as a sign of desperation knowing the time for change for the better has come,” Gonzaga said. The lawyer-city mayor candidate cited in particular, a deceptive issue used against him; - that he is Manila-based and he won’t be staying in Tagbilaran because his work and family is in the capital city of Manila.

“That issue of my being Manila-based is contrary to what is prevailing in my life today. I have already served in various capacities in national offices like in the Commission on Appointments, among others. These positions I held should even be hailed as a pride for Tagbilaran but now negatively utilized by my opponents. I want to serve Tagbilaran to introduce a new kind of leadership that will truly respect and serve Tagbilaranons, different from the neglect and the authoritarian rule we experienced today,” Gonzaga stressed. “While Baba Yap capitalizes on his being young, his performance speaks otherwise. Chatto and Relampagos started early in life entering politics but with sterling performances. Yap pales in comparison to the two (Chatto and Relampagos) for it is in his time that the city had deteriorated; with rampant corruption, huge debts and neglect,” Gonzaga added. Gonzaga pointed out that Baba Yap being a nephew of outgoing city mayor Dan Lim, is no different. His penchant for dole-outs like free manicure, pedicure, haircut and superficial gimmicks offers no long term solutions to improve the life of Tagbilaranons. Baba actually has no idea of his own but is merely dictated by his mother –businesswoman Geesnell Lim (brother of Dan Lim).

“So everything boils to the same agenda; - vested interest and selfish ends,” Gonzaga said. The mammoth crowd that gathered at Plaza Rizal in last Thursday’s Liberal Party rally proved to all and sundry that the city’s top choice for the coming May 13 elections is still the Gonzaga-Veloso “Kausaban sa Tagbilaran” team. LP official candidate for city mayor Augustinus “Dodong” Gonzaga said both Governor Edgar Chatto and First District Congressman Rene Relampagos had strongly and clearly endorsed him, his running mate Toto Veloso and the whole GV Express Team as the only choice to lead Tagbilaran “Kausaban, Kauswagan, Kaayuhan” (change, progress and prosperity) needed to rebuild and transform this city. Both Gov. Chatto and Cong. Relampagos reiterated the need for a Team P-Noy in City Hall so that projects for the city are more easily secured and implemented. They lamented that the progress in Bohol is neither seen nor felt in the city which is lagging behind as compared to other towns. Vice Gov. Conching Lim and the three first district board members Yul Lopez, Benjie Arcamo and Abel Damalerio expressed the same disappointment and frustration on the present state of the city and urged Tagbilaranons to vote for the Gonzaga-Veloso and their Team who are very qualified, competent, and proven experienced leaders.

The strong endorsements of Chatto and Relampagos had cleared and belied the circulated deceptive campaign hype of the Baba Yap-Mariquit Oppus group that they are the ones supported by the governor and the first district congressman. “Tagbilaranons now have realized and are aware of the deceptions and lies peddled by our opponents as a sign of desperation knowing the time for change for the better has come,” Gonzaga said. The lawyer-city mayor candidate cited in particular, a deceptive issue used against him; - that he is Manila-based and he won’t be staying in Tagbilaran because his work and family is in the capital city of Manila. “That issue of my being Manila-based is contrary to what is prevailing in my life today. I have already served in various capacities in national offices like in the Commission on Appointments, among others. These positions I held should even be hailed as a pride for Tagbilaran but now negatively utilized by my opponents. I want to serve Tagbilaran to introduce a new kind of leadership that will truly respect and serve Tagbilaranons, different from the neglect and the authoritarian rule we experienced today,” Gonzaga stressed. “While Baba Yap capitalizes on his being young, his performance speaks otherwise. Chatto and Relampagos started early in life entering politics but with sterling performances. Yap pales in comparison to the two (Chatto and Relampagos) for it is in his time that the city had deteriorated; with rampant corruption, huge debts and neglect,” Gonzaga added. Gonzaga pointed out that Baba Yap being a nephew of outgoing city mayor Dan Lim, is no different. His penchant for dole-outs like free manicure, pedicure, haircut and superficial gimmicks offers no long term solutions to improve the life of Tagbilaranons. Baba actually has no idea of his own but is merely dictated by his mother –businesswoman Geesnell Lim (brother of Dan Lim). “So everything boils to the same agenda; - vested interest and selfish ends,” Gonzaga said.