Tomas Osmeña shows up at Cebu City Hall

CEBU CITY — The first day of the campaign period for local officials began with a show of force by the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) at City Hall the other day.

The BOPK line-up, led by mayoralty candidate Tomas Osmeña, accompanied by his wife Margot, first attended Mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño at 8 a.m. They then made the rounds of City Hall, including the offices of councilors belonging to the rival Kusug party of Mayor Alvin Garcia.

Garcia and councilor Firmo Dayao were at the launching of the "Heritage Walk," a tourism promo initiated by the city government which provides tourists with a short guided tour of historical sites.

Garcia said there was nothing wrong with what the former mayor did.

"This is a free country and the campaign period has already begun," Garcia said.

There are about 50 offices at City Hall with over 5,000 regular and casual employees.

Garcia said he will only conduct his own campaign sortie at City Hall toward the end of the campaign period.

Marshall Rubia, assistant regional director of the Commission on Elections, said as long as operations at City Hall were not disturbed, there was nothing wrong with what the BOPK did.

Reception for Osmeña and company was mostly cordial. It was only at the lobby of each floor, where supporters and campaigners were waiting, that activities became vibrant.

When Garcia’s wife Ninnette passed by, BOPK supporters, sporting T-shirts bearing the word CUTE (Cebu United for Tomas Election), became especially lively, yelling BOPK slogans. — Freeman News Service