LP officials in Consolacion, Cebu welcome unity call of Bongbong Marcos

Notwithstanding their party affiliation, members of the ruling Liberal Party in the municipality of Consolacion in Cebu welcomed the call for unity of vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr.

The town of Consolacion was one of the places the "Unity Caravan" of Marcos visited on the last leg of the senator's four-day sortie in the vote-rich province of Cebu.

Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado, a member of LP, and 20 out of 21 barangay captains in the town welcomed Marcos and hosted a meeting in the municipal hall. Alegado said she shares Marcos' campaign for unity saying she believes on its importance in national progress.

"The importance of unity is something all of us here in Consolacion understand very well. Despite our affiliations, the bottom line is still unity as you have said and it is something that we all here share," said Alegado. She said they are willing to welcome any candidate in the town even if majority of its officials are affiliated with LP.

Marcos, for his part, thanked them for agreeing to meet with him even on a weekend. "I am grateful that all of you were gracious enough to meet me on a Sunday--the Palm Sunday," he said.

Marcos has been stressing the importance of national unity as a crucial factor in realizing his vision for a better future for all Filipinos. With the daunting problems facing our country, these can only be addressed by working together, according to Marcos.

During their meeting, Marcos explained to them his campaign platform, especially on agriculture. Likewise, he told them his efforts in the Senate to give a bigger voice to the local government units in accordance with his vision for a stronger partnership between the LGUs and the national government.

Specifically for the barangay chairmen, Marcos reported the passage in the Senate of his Barangay Retirement Benefits Bill which seeks to provide monetary benefits ranging from P100,000 to P50,000 to qualified barangay officials, including barangay tanods, health personnel and other volunteer workers.

Aside from Consolacion the "Unity Caravan" of Marcos visited the towns of Liloan and Danao, where he had separate meetings with key politicians.

He capped his four-day visit to Cebu with a courtesy call on Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal in the latter's home in Sto. Niño Village, Barangay Banilad, Cebu City.