Over 300 sworn in with PDP-Laban

CEBU, Philippines - Officials from 21 local government units in Cebu joined the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan yesterday during an oath taking at the Sacred Heart Center.

Around 300 local officials from the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Toledo; and the towns of Borbon, Cordova, Consolacion, Balamban, Barili, Aloguinsan, Liloan, Asturias, Pinamungajan, Tabogon, Bantayan, Tabuelan, San Remigio, Sta. Fe, Pilar, Medellin, and Tuburan also took their oath.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said PDP-Laban is now intensifying their membership down to the barangay level as the party has a non-political arm that will include sectors that can help the government deliver basic services and help the shift toward Federalism.

He also spoke the timetable of the president towards Federalism wherein he has a proposal for President Rodrigo Duterte to issue an Executive Order for the creation of a Constitutional Commission which will be composed of at least 25 experts in Constitutional Law.

Alvarez said that by 2019 or during the midterm elections the amendment or draft of the new Constitution will be submitted to the people through a plebiscite.

Alvarez added that by 2020 new officials will be elected by the people under the Federal form of government.

"This is the timeframe of the government. This is the importance of our membership. We have to inform the people down to the grassroots level. We have to educate and inform the people about Federalism," said Alvarez.

Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing said that it is important to show their support for the president by joining PDP-Laban. All Mandaue City councilors, both in the administration and opposition, also took their oath as PDP-Laban members.

Cebu Fourth District Representative Benhur Salimbangon, who also attended the event, said that there is no need for the National Unity Party to take an oath as it already coalesced with PDP-Laban long before the May 9 elections.

NUP has 42 congressmen as members and majority of the representatives in Cebu are members.

"Hopefully, Cebu will be a PDP-Laban country," said Noel Felongco, President of PDP-Laban in Region 7.

In Cebu alone, Felongco said there are over 1,000 PDP-Laban members composed of politicians, youth, professionals, academe, and non-government organization members, among others.

Felongco said the event yesterday was "oath taking of provisional members" because even if the local officials have took their oath, their membership is still subject to screening to ensure there are no drug addicts, users, or pushers who will be officially admitted as members.

In a separate interview, Alvarez said that former Cebu City mayor Michale Rama may not take his oath considering he is in the list of suspected drug protectors read by Duterte.

"If ma-clear ni Mike iyang pangan, sabutan sa partido if pwede siya mo-take oath," Alvarez said.

Meanwhile, only five Team Rama officials in Cebu City took their oaths as new members of PDP-Laban yesterday.

Alvarez administered the oath taking of Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, and councilors James Anthony Cuenco, Joey Daluz III, Jocelyn Pesquera, and Jerry Guardo.

Councilors Eduardo Rama, Raymond Garcia and Joel Garganera are set to take their oaths separately anytime next month as they were out of town yesterday.

Councilors Nendell Hanz Abella and Pastor Alcover have declined to be part of PDP-Laban. Abella was unavailable for comment last night, but Alcover already said he will not be part of PDP-Laban saying he will be consistent in his criticisms of the president.

The oath taking took place even without Team Rama's leader.

However, Rama already clarified that his missing the oath taking has nothing to do with the allegations that he is a drug protector. He also said he is still working to clear his name.

Also yesterday, 65 out of 80 barangay captains in Cebu City expressed their support of the current administration.

Association of Barangay Councils President Phillip Zafra said there was an initial agreement that these 65 barangay captains will also take their oath as members of PDP-Laban, but Zafra said they agreed not to push through with this because they have to be apolitical as provided for under the Local Government Code.

"Mao nay nakabakikaw sa balaod. Ang balaod nga dapat non-partisan ang barangay officials but we are placed in that position through election. How can that be a non-partisan when we are elected?" he said.

He said he is hoping that the provision of the Local Government Code will be looked into by the national government, especially as the president is moving for Charter Change.

Instead of taking their oaths, Zafra and other barangay captains signed a manifesto expressing their support of the current administration especially in the fight against illegal drugs and crime.

In his message, PDP-Laban Vice President and Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the actions of Duterte in his first few days as president inspired the members of the party to work hard.

Cusi said PDP-Laban is organizing the non-political group of the party, which is composed of the business sector, to boost the economy of the country. He said the party will push for reforms that will empower the people.

"We have to do our contribution in change," he told officials of different towns and cities who took their oaths as new members of the party yesterday. (FREEMAN)