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Rama offers reconciliation to rivals, vows participative gov’t

By John Rey Saavedra

May 10, 2022, 7:50 pm

<p><strong>HAND OF RECONCILIATION</strong>. Mayor Michael Rama delivers his speech shortly after the Cebu City Board of Canvassers proclaimed him the winner of the May 9, 2022 mayoral race. Rama offered reconciliation to his rival, former councilor Margot Osmeña, to allow the city to move forward under his bottom-up, participative governance.<em> (Photo contributed by Allan Defensor)</em></p>

HAND OF RECONCILIATION. Mayor Michael Rama delivers his speech shortly after the Cebu City Board of Canvassers proclaimed him the winner of the May 9, 2022 mayoral race. Rama offered reconciliation to his rival, former councilor Margot Osmeña, to allow the city to move forward under his bottom-up, participative governance. (Photo contributed by Allan Defensor)

CEBU CITY – Mayor Michael Rama on Tuesday offered a hand of reconciliation to his political rival and set aside partisan color in moving as a united city under his bottom-up and participative governance system.
 
We have challenging and yet inspiring campaign and we have always kept saying that victory is sweet. Naglunop ang akong pagpasaylo. Nagbaha ang akong pagkalimot. Gani ang kasilo kinsa man ang akong pangitaon, kinsay sad-an, di na mao ang akong pagkatawo (My forgiveness is flooding. My forgetfulness flooded. Even the guilt whoever I seek, who is to blame, is no longer my identity,” Rama said during his proclamation as the winning candidate for mayor.
 
Rama has about 36,000 more votes against former councilor Margot Osmeña after he garnered 239,656 votes.
 
City election officer lawyer Edwin Cadungog, who sits as chair of the city Board of Canvassers, said the result was from ballots canvassed from the 964 precincts in the 80 barangays here.
 
Rama vowed to lead the city “without consideration of one’s political color,” saying it is time to leave partisan politics and forget the divisiveness of the May 9 elections “to allow the city to move on and keep public service alive”.
 
“We will continue with our convergence bottom-up, participative, and inclusive governance. I need everybody’s help, from the 27 departments and the 80 barangays and all stakeholders, and inter-faith dialogue led by Archbishop Jose Palma. Let’s continue the unity under the advocacy of people-private-driven governance,” Rama said, warning those who make “public service a business to ship out”.
 
Rama thanked his supporters for their “steadfast, unrelenting, and passionate efforts to achieve what we have gained,” underscoring the “awe-inspiring substantial majority” of councilors from his party, the Barug PDP Laban.
 
Of the 16 candidates for councilor -- eight are from each of the two districts, 12 are from his party while the rest are from the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan-Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (BOPK-LDP).
 
The incumbent vice mayor, Philippine Basketball Association star Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros topped other candidates for councilor with 191,938 votes. 
 
The south district councilor succeeded Rama as presiding officer of the City Council in November last year because of the death of then Mayor Edgardo Labella.
 
During his speech, Rama offered a minute of silence to thank Labella whom he considered his partner in public service.
 
Labella’s son, Jaypee, won as councilor in the north district.
 
Meanwhile, Rama said the presidency under Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the vice presidency under Sara Z. Duterte will give the country a “unifying and healing effect”.
 
He underscored the number of votes Marcos garnered in Cebu City against Vice President Leni Robredo as a “substantial advantage” for the city in terms of assistance and support from the national government under the new administration. (PNA)
 
 

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