Baronda: No retreat, no surrender on vice mayoral bid
Julienne "Jam" BarondaThere’s no stopping City Councilor Julienne Baronda from running as vice mayor in next year’s election. Yesterday she officially declared her vice mayoral bid in front of her supporters and political allies at the Coral Ballroom of Amigo Hotel.
In her speech Baronda said that it is a tough decision to make but the moment has come for her to decide in joining the so-called “dream team” of Vice Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog who has earlier declared to run for city mayor.
Baronda, sporting a red shirt, stressed “it is no retreat, no surrender and final decision — I am prepared for this.” Baronda’s fiery pronouncement made her supporters yell and cheer during yesterday’s affair.
The thirty-year old Baronda is banking on her political slogan “Tingog sang Pamatan-on, Kadampig sang Kababainhan, Iwag sang Katigulangan, Katuwang sang Edukasyon.”
As of now, it would be a three-cornered fight in the vice mayoral race just like the mayoral race. The two other candidates who have declared their intentions in running as vice mayor are Councilors Jose Espinosa III and Antonio Pesina.
Espinosa is with the camp of Mayor Jerry Treñas and Pesina is with the group of chief presidential legal counsel Raul Gonzalez Sr. and incumbent Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr.
Baronda’s strong statement sent a signal to her supporters that she is not going to withdraw from the vice mayoral race to give way to Espinosa in the supposed merger of the Mabilog and Treñas forces.
Treñas openly declared the other day that he will be supporting Espinosa, his “bilas”, for vice mayor and the three councilorables under him Punong Barangay Bobby Divinagracia, Boarding House Commission chair Edward Yee and Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office chief Jose Roni Firmeza.
Talks are rife however that Treñas will be the congressional candidate of Mabilog’s group. Treñas was supposed to issue a categorical statement on the conflict yesterday but he begged to have it cancelled as negotiations are ongoing.
Nevertheless, Baronda is hopeful they could resolve the issue on the supposed alliance without sacrificing her bid for the vice mayoral race as well as their complete ticket. The Mabilog-Baronda group is almost complete.
It is not yet clear under what party Baronda is running. She said what is important is that they have a line up now, from the mayor, vice mayor and councilors.
She presented yesterday their line up for councilors. They are former Councilors Joshua Alim and Erlinda Liberriaga, incumbent Councilor Lyndon Acap, Atty. RLeonie Gerochi, Atty. Plaridel Nava, broadcaster Rodel (Fullon) Agado, and activist leader Jory Porquia.
The group has formulated a 10-point agenda in selling themselves to the voters. The 10-point agenda are education, infrastructure, environment, public utilities, good governance, health services, peace and order, tourism, protection of OFW and disaster preparedness program.
