Urban poor group endorses BOPK

CEBU, Philippines - An urban poor organization yesterday endorsed Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) candidates, a development that has the opposing Team Rama “unshaken.”

The Alliance of Peoples Organization Working for the Empowerment and Resettlement (ALL POWER), a group of several urban poor communities in Cebu City with membership reaching 2,300 families of 22 chapter organizations and two barangay federations, officially proclaimed BOPK candidates as their endorsed bets for the coming May 13 elections.

The proclamation was held at Barangay Mabolo Sports Complex attended by representatives from various member urban poor organizations.

“After the thorough processes we have undergone in selecting candidates, our group was bale to come up with a consensus to choose the whole slate of BOPK party as our official party/candidates to be supported fully in this coming May 13, 2013 election,” the group’s statement said.

The statement was signed by key leaders from different urban poor areas in Cebu City namely Floro Enricoso of Mambaling, Wilma Bacalso from Budlaan, Fredewinda Sato from Bulacao, Bernadita Cordova from Calamba, Anita Telin from Busay, and Manuel Camporedondo from Basak Pardo.

Focusing on the key traits that the organization believes are essential in a candidate, they stressed that they will back candidates or party whom they believe to have a “heart to the poor and able to carry out the interest of our group in the local position.”

Reacting to this development, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama who chairs opposing Team Rama party said he and his party remain unshaken.

“Nganung ma-threaten man ko nga naa man ang Ginoo? Magsige tag pangadye nga dili ta madala. Ang atong kaatbang, mugasto, mu-donate sa Buwad Festival. We are not remiss to giving millions to those barangay even the ones identified to be favoring the other party,” Rama told reporters.

He went on to say that he will never be like his opponent in the mayoral race, BOPK’s chairman and Cebu City South District Congressman Tomas Osmeña, whose technique of governance is different from his.

“Tomas is mastering in controlling people by making them salivate. I do not want to do that,” Rama said, adding he equally pours projects to all barangays regardless of their leaders’ political affiliation. —/JPM (FREEMAN)