Businessman Dan Atayde was sworn in as the latest member of the Mayor Evelio Leonardia-led Grupo Progreso at the Ballroom of Acacia Hotel in Bacolod City on Wednesday, March 8.
Atayde, who is running for congressman of Bacolod’s lone district, took his oath before Leonardia.
Atayde’s entry into the GP came three months after he was first introduced by the mayor as the group’s adoptive candidate during the lighting ceremony of the Bacolod Public Plaza in December last year, a press release said.
Leonardia described the ceremony as a “special night for the GP, saying that the swearing in rite was the first since 2007 that the group had a formal induction of a new member.
“Certain things will happen if it’s meant to be,” Leonardia said.
The parting with incumbent Rep. Greg Gasataya and other former members, he explained, was also a “blessing in disguise” and a “cleansing process” that made GP stronger.
“Pound for pound and character for character, we have a better team than we used to have. It made us even stronger, more cohesive,” he added.
“If there is no enemy from the inside, we can beat any team from the outside,” Leonardia said.
As he was given the official red-and-green GP uniform, Atayde thanked the members for welcoming him to their family.
“This is my new team, my family. This is the beginning of our fight to make Bacolod progress even more,” he said.
“What we have now is a much better team with trustworthy set of candidates. We now have the momentum,” Leonardia added.
Councilor Archie Baribar, who was among the early incumbent GP members of Grupo Progreso to “raise the hand” of Atayde last year, lauded the aspirant for stepping up to the challenge. He also promised to support his candidacy.
“I will not only continue to raise his hand, I will continue to work for his victory,” Baribar said.*