Negros mayors off to Macau for 2-day trip
BACOLOD CITY – Twenty-four out of 31 city and municipal mayors in the province of Negros Occidental are bound to Macau for their two-day bonding from March 5 to 6.
Seven mayors did not join the trip because of conflict of schedule while others declined due to health concerns.
Mayor Renato Malabor of Isabela town said they were already given tickets and at 8:30 a.m. today they will depart from the New Bacolod-Silay Airport to Manila and at 12:00 noon, the group will already board the plane to Macau.
“The trip is the initiative of our president Manapla Mayor Manolet Escalante representing the Association of Chief Executives (ACE) in Negros,” he said.
He made it clear that they will spend their personal money on the trip and not public funds.
Reports revealed that the purpose of the trip is to talk about the official candidates of United Negros Alliance - an alliance of various political parties which include the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino for the 2010 elections.
But their founder, Sagay Mayor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said all political discussions may happen on July this year.
“Why discuss our political plans there when it can be discussed here?” he asked.
He already has the ticket but not yet decided whether to join the Macau trip or not.
When asked regarding his plan on 2010 especially the post of the governor, Marañon said members of the United Negros Alliance and business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco will be deciding on it later.
Gov. Isidro Zayco said his desire is to run for mayor in his hometown, Kabankalan City but it all depends on the talks which may happen prior to the selection of the official candidates.