Presidentiables can’t attend: Mega Cebu forum postponed

CEBU, Philippines - Forum with presidential aspirants will not push through tomorrow since only Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas committed to attend.

Caroline Ballesteros, Mega Cebu communication and stakeholder relationship manager, said invitations were sent to presidentiables Senator Grace Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago six weeks ago.

However, the political aspirants said they can’t make it due to various reasons.

Poe sent her regrets last Friday through Cebu 5th district congressman Ace Durano, citing the Mamasapano committee hearing that happens to fall on the same date, while Santiago informed Thursday that the schedule is in conflict with her prior appointment.

Quoting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Ballesteros said Binay cannot also attend because he has prior commitment in Cebu.

“We all agreed to postpone the forum to a date when everybody is available,” Ballesteros said.

She said they will reschedule the forum not later this year. The date is yet to be finalized.

With the postponement, Ballesteros is asking those who have tickets to hold on to them as they will still be used.

The Mega Decision 2016, a forum on presidential candidates, will give the public an idea on what the presidentiables’ thoughts are on the different issues our country, especially Cebu, are facing.

Social Development Celebration (SDC) 2015, one of the organizations behind the forum, will present its CSO Development and Reform Agenda to the candidates and to the public.

The agenda will be presented for priority actions for the next administration. The CSO agenda is the outcome of a process which included a series of consultations in various regions of the country.

Mega Cebu’s Roadmap study will also be introduced to the candidates.

A crowd of 4,000 is expected for this event, composed of representatives of CSOs from all over the country, as well as representatives from the local government units, business, academe and youth sector of Cebu City and Cebu province.

Despite the postponement, Roxas will still meet various civil society organizations for a dialogue. —  (FREEMAN)