Dalaguete mayor eyed for PB seat

CEBU, Philippines - The One Cebu Party is considering Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante to be one of its candidates for Provincial Board Member for next year’s polls.

Second District Rep. Pablo “Pabling” Garcia said Cesante is “on top” of the list of emerging leaders in the district.

“Ang Dalaguete naingon ana karon because of his leadership,” Garcia said.

Cesante’s notable accomplishments, Garcia said, include the development of Barangay Mantalongon into a major source of vegetables not only for Cebu, but for the entire Visayas; the giving of incentives to farmers; and the concreting of the Dalaguete-Mantalongon road.

“In the future you will see Mayor Ronie not only in Dalaguete but in the entire district,” Garcia said.

If plans push through, Cesante will take one of the two party slots for the Board vacated by incumbent Board Members Wilfredo Caminero and Peter John Calderon who have shifted alliances to Liberal Party.

Caminero is reportedly seeking the congressional post against Garcia while Calderon will seek reelection as PB member.

Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, son of Pabling and One Cebu Party secretary-general, said leaders in the Second District will meet soon to finalize the party’s slate in the district.

“The party and the mayors in the second district will soon meet to come up with a slate there in the second district,” Pablo John said. He is One Cebu’s bet for governor against LP’s Hilario “Junjun” Davide III.

Cesante, for his part, has assured full support for the Garcias in 2013. He also said that contrary to belief, Dalaguete has never been influenced by its neighboring town Argao as far as voting for a candidate is concerned.

Pabling cited two elections when he won in Dalaguete and in the entire Second District against candidates from Argao like former PB members Orvi Ortega and Carmiano Kintanar in 2007 and Cora Lou Kintanar in 2010.

“Dili tingale tinuod nga ang Dalaguete mouban sa Argao kay ang Dalaguete adunay iyang kaugalingon nga identity,” Pabling said.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said she also won in Dalaguete in the 2010 elections against Davide who is from Argao.  (FREEMAN)