PNoy in Negros today for LP convention

Bacolod City, Philippines —President Benigno Aquino III and other Liberal Party (LP) stalwarts are arriving in Negros Occidental today, May 5, to attend the two-day provincial LP convention that started yesterday, party provincial chairman Rep. Alfredo Benitez (3rd District) said.

Aquino, who is the LP chairman, is set to administer the oath to about 60 new members of the party at the Nature’s Village Resort and Hotel in Talisay City today, Benitez said.

Also arriving today are Transportation and Communication Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, LP president; Senator Franklin Drilon, LP vice chairman; Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, LP executive vice president, and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III, the solon said.

The President and his party are expected to arrive at the Bacolod- Silay Airport in Silay City at 1:15 p.m. and will proceed to the Nature’s Village Resort where they will be welcomed by Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., Benitez, Talisay City Mayor Eric Saratan, and Christine Sarosa-Dorris, chief operating officer of Nature’s Village Resort.

Right after Benitez gives his welcome remarks and briefing of the event, Aquino will then officiate the mass oathtaking of new LP members. Of these 60 members who are incumbent officials in Negros Occidental, 12 are mayors and the rest are vice mayors and councilors, Benitez said.

After the oathtaking, Roxas will introduce the President, who will then give a speech.

The activity ends at 3 p.m. and the President will depart for Manila at 3:35 p.m.

Organizers said yesterday there are 86 participants at the convention, some of them not elected officials, and coming from six provinces attending the convention. The event is called Basic Orientation on Liberal Democracy, one of the requirements for LP membership.

But the event that Aquino is attending today is a “provincial convention” because it is purely for the oathtaking of new LP members from Negros Occidental.

Benitez said he had met with the Presidential Management Staff and the Presidential Security Command last Thursday to discuss security preparations for the President and his party, and other matters.

He said all the 12 mayors who will take oath as new LP members are from the Lakas-CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats) party of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. 

Of the 12 mayors joining the LP, Benitez could only reveal nine as of yesterday, including Mayors Marxlen De la Cruz of Don Salvador Benedicto, Leo Rafael Cueva—Sagay City, Patrick Escalante—Cadiz City, Ma. Lourdes Escalante—Manapla, Eric Saratan—Talisay City, Francisco Nazareno—Moises Padilla, Francisco Malabor—Isabela, Alberto Nicor Jr.—La Castellana, and Jechonias Manzano—Candoni.

There are 32 mayors in Negros Occidental, most of whom belong to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and United Negros Alliance (UNA), a local coalition of majority of the incumbent officials belonging to different major political parties.

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., who heads both UNA and NPC in Negros, said he is attending the LP convention today. The President is expected to meet separately UNA members.

LP and NPC have an alliance on the national level, the governor said. Marañon has supported Aquino in the 2010 elections.

Meanwhile, Sagay City Councilor Bubbles Tolentino of the LP Secretariat said that also attending the provincial convention are LP director-general Ma. Gladys Sta. Rita, Assistant Secretary Rolando Cucio of the Office of Political Affairs, NIPS Executive Director Lambert Ramirez, and Board Member Henry Bacurnay Jr., who is the national president of the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines.

Benitez said the convention is aimed at strengthening LP in Negros Occidental as he expressed optimism that more local officials will join their party.

Sources said LP is consolidating its forces around the country in preparations for the 2013 and 2016 elections.  (FREEMAN)