Samsam Gullas: I am not preparing for the elections

CEBU, Philippines - Samsam Gullas, the grandson of first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas yesterday denied his recent involvement in outreach projects in Talisay City is a preparation for a political career in 2013.

"We're here to share what we have with these children. There is nothing political here," said Samsam Gullas in an interview with The FREEMAN inside the quadrangle of San Roque Elementary School.

Samsam led his batchmates at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business in distributing at least 2,400 bags of school supplies to pupils of the school in Talisay City yesterday.

The outreach program, which Samsam hopes to duplicate in other public schools, has raised eyebrows, some quarters saying the grandson of the veteran lawmaker is preparing for the mayoralty contest in the city.

Asked if his sights were focused on the mayoralty post, Samsam quoted his younger brother Talisay City Councilor Eduardo III, "let's just cross the bridge when we get there."

Mayor Socrates Fernandez is now on his third and final term, and rumors have it that a Gullas is set to sit after him.

Earlier, Congressman Gullas, when asked if he is running for the mayoral seat in Talisay considering that his term in Congress is also until the 2013, the lawmaker said he has conditioned himself to focus on his administration with the family-owned University of the Visayas. His only son Anthony Gerald "Didi" has been reported to take his place in the congress, but this rumor has not yet been verified by the Gullases.

Meanwhile, Samsam said that as of the moment, while the 2013 elections are still far away, he will concentrate on his Bag of Dreams project, which aims to provide a bag of school supplies to as many children as possible in Talisay.

"For now, I'd like to focus on it," Samsam said. (FREEMAN)