CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 31 March) — Coming from a hectic schedule in eastern Visayas, Vice President Leni Robredo arrived here Wednesday afternoon to hold separate talks with political leaders who are supporting her presidential bid.
Robredo met with Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro) and Rep. Juliette Uy (2nd District, Misamis Oriental) separately in a hotel here in Cagayan de Oro.
She also met with Rep. Maria Lourdes Acosta-Alba and her husband, Joeman Alba, who is running to replace her in the 1st district of Bukidnon; and Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno who is running for Governor of Misamis Oriental, an office he held for three terms from 2004 to 2013.
Rodriguez and Uy are campaigning for a RoSa tandem supporting Robredo and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte while the Acostas and Moreno are solidly behind Robredo and her running mate, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.
From Eastern Visayas, Vice President Leni Robredo flew to Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday, 30 March 2022 to hold separate talks with local leaders endorsing her presidential bid, like Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (R).. Robredo will be in Lanao del Norte on Thursday. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO
BenCyrus Ellorin, interim secretary general of the Liberal Party, said the purpose of the meeting is to solidify the political base of those supporting Robredo.
Rodriguez, who arrived first with the entire local slate of the Centrist Democratic Party, said the matter of who they would support for vice president was never discussed in the one-hour meeting.
“We just talked about our support to her campaign. RoSa was never discussed for obvious reasons,” Rodriguez told reporters.
He said no demands from both sides were discussed except for the two programs he wanted Robredo to pursue if she wins the presidency.
Rodriguez said Robredo promised to pursue the Mindanao Railway Project that would connect Cagayan de Oro to Iligan City and the rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi hydro plants in Bukidnon and Lanao, if she would be elected as president.
“These are game changer projects for Northern Mindanao that can bring cheap transportation and electricity,” Rodriguez said.
The second to arrive in the hotel were Acosta and her husband, Joeman. Alba did not say much to reporters after they emerged from the meeting with Robredo an hour later.
Uy and 24 mayoral candidates arrived late in the evening after coming from rallies around Misamis Oriental.
She said Robredo wanted to meet with her and the candidates after she read they are endorsing her presidential bid.
Uy’s husband, Julio, who is running for congressman for 2nd District, Misamis Oriental said his wife and Robredo are long-time friends.
“We were not talking about RoSa. This meeting was a meeting of old friends,” Uy said.
Mayor Moreno is scheduled to meet with Robredo on Thursday morning before Robredo goes to Lanao del Norte for scheduled rallies in Maigo and Kauswagan towns.
Also on Thursday, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos, frontrunner in the presidential race surveys, will be in Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon. On Wednesday, graced rallies in Davao del Norte, Davao del Oro and Davao del Sur. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
