PB member pits self vs Samar ‘giants’

CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines – Incumbent Provincial Board Member Alvin Abejuela, of the United Nationalist Alliance, yesterday was the first to file his certificate of candidacy for a congressional seat of Samar’s 2nd district.

Abejuela, after filing his CoC at the Comelec-Samar provincial office, admitted to The FREEMAN he will be facing two formidable opponents, citing incumbent Representative Milagrosa Tan of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition and Zumarraga town Mayor Myrna Tan who was picked by the Liberal Party.

“But if it is going to be a performance-based choice by the voters, I believe I have the edge because I have been working with more than 80 percent of the villages in the 2nd district during my three-year stint as PB member,” said Abejuela.

“I did not give them cans of sardines or kilos of rice for their daily needs as what my possible opponents would do, but I taught them to work on these needs and be in control of their lives and families,” he said.

Abejuela, provincial chair of Vice President Jojo Binay’s UNA, further vowed to work on the presidential bid of Binay in Samar against the reported unpopularity of Mar Roxas among Yolanda survivors here, and Grace Poe’s limited manpower in the province.

“I can opt to seek a second term in the PB, which I think is easy, but my three years of exposure on the ground contributed much to my realization that I am helpless to address all of their needs. My present position is so limited and I can only do so much,” Abejuela added.

Abejuela is no longer new in the congressional race. He run for the same position in 2010 but lost to Representative Mila Tan, and then ran for the PB in 2013 to win with the support of various religious and faith groups in Samar.