The close to 1,000-strong Burgos Public Market vendors Thursday, Oct. 21, endorsed the re-election bids of both Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and his running mate, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, a press release from Grupo Progreso said.
The vendors, who belong to four associations, also threw their solid support to the 12 Grupo Progreso candidates for councilor in a festive endorsement ceremony, complete with a live band performance, it added.
The program’s venue transformed the Burgos Market into a red zone with the official color of the GP, the political aggrupation formed by Leonardia in 2007, dominating the scene.
In a three-page manifesto of support to the GP slate, signed by Benhur Anlap, Jr., president of the Katilingban nga Manugbaligya sa Merkado Burgos; Joe Martin Coniendo, president of the Burgos Brotherhood Vendors Association; Willy Lapore, president, Burgos Market Fish Vendors Association, and Lucelyn de la Paz, president, Burgos Ramos Vendors Association, they said under Leonardia’s watch Bacolod became the Most Competitive City in the entire Visayas, the Most Business-Friendly City in the Philippines, the Best Performing Local Government Unit City Category in Western Visayas, including its being an awardee of the Seal of Local Governance.
The vendors also lauded Leonardia and his administration for successfully securing the P150 million funding support from the national government for the renovation of the three major public markets – Burgos, Central, and Libertad– with each given a P50 million allocation, the press release said.
Leonardia showed them a video presentation of the detailed plans on market development and disclosed that the bidding for the three projects
will already be done next week.
The mayor’s announcement drew cheers and plaudits as he assured the vendors that with the GP leadership they are secured because the city government under him has no plans of privatizing the three markets, the press release said.
“I cannot guarantee you what the plans of other candidates are… what I can only say is that, Vice Mayor El Cid and those who stayed true with Grupo Progreso, are people with principles. Vice Mayor El Cid cannot be bought,” Leonardia said.
The vendors’ manifesto called on Bacolodnons to support the Leonardia administration and the GP slate “if we want to be assured of the city’s continued economic growth”.