Belmonte thanks INC, QC voters

Quezon City re-electionist Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. expressed gratitude yesterday to the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) as well as voters from various sectors of the city for the overwhelming support he received in the elections.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank Ka Erdi Manalo and the voters of Quezon City for their support," Belmonte said in an interview over NET 25 television.

The mayor issued the statement as his lead over main rival, former mayor Ismael Mathay, widened in the ongoing Namfrel quick count.

A tally from 44 precincts showed Belmonte garnering 324,124 votes over Mathay’s 91,258. His runningmate, re-electionist Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista has 353,326 votes against closest rival Dingdong Avanzado’s 50,229 votes.

Belmonte expressed confidence that the administration party will get at least 20 of the 24 seats in the city council.

Belmonte said that apart from the full support he received from the INC, initial results of canvassing showed that he had overwhelming support from practically all sectors — from Class A to E voters.

In return, the mayor vowed to pursue more livelihood assistance projects for the city’s poor residents.

He said that since infrastructure such as concreting of roads, massive clean-up of rivers and creeks and the construction of more school buildings, and health centers are now in place, the priority of the city government in the next three years is to shift to social services and capability building programs to make the poor self-reliant .

The mayor also cited the need for additional congressional districts in the city, citing the increasing population which has doubled in the last 10 years.

At present, the city has only four congressional districts to address the needs of some 2.3 million people. Belmonte said the city needs at least two more districts.

— Perseus Echeminada