Gibo highlights LGU support in kick-off sortie

Forty district representatives, twenty city mayors, and over a hundred local executives from all over the country attended Tuesday’s sortie of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD in Antipolo City to officially kick-off the nationwide campaign of its standard-bearer, Gilberto Teodoro Jr. Teodoro, in his speech before a jampacked Ynares Center, thanked all the local officials who attended the administration party’s first official campaign sortie, saying that local government units (LGUs) are the “strength" of the national government. “The nation would not be strong without the local government units. I want to given them the opportunity to flourish during my administration," he said in Filipino. “I believe in the importance of the LGUs in nation-building… It is time that we listen to the voice of our people expressed through the local government," he added. Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s vice-presidential bet Edu Manzano likewise recognized the importance of local government support in his speech in front of the about 15,000 green-clad party officials, local government officials and supporters inside the gymnasium. “There would be no empowered national government without an empowered local government," Manzano said. Among the local government officials who attended the sortie were Pampanga Rep. and presidential son Mikey Arroyo; Buluan Vice-Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu, who lost his wife and two sisters in the Nov. 23 massacre in Maguindanao province; and Teodoro’s wife, Tarlac Rep. Monica Prieto. Also present during the kick-off sortie were administration party officials such as Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, and Lakas-Kampi-CMD campaign manager Prospero Pichay. Ermita said he was “very happy" that local government executives showed their support to Teodoro and the rest of the rest of the administration party’s slate. “I am very happy that everyone is so enthusiastic. I am thankful that the local executives from the Visayas and Mindanao took the time off and flew all the way here to attend the event," he said. Ermita also recognized the importance of local government support to the administration party’s bid for seats in national government. “Voters listen to local government officials. Therefore, LGUs bring votes during elections." All six candidates in Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s senatorial slate - Sen. Ramon “Bong" Revilla Jr., Sen. Lito Lapid, Raul Lambino, Silvestre Bello III, Ramon Guico and broadcaster Rey Langit - were also introduced during the sortie. Free shirts, calendars, fans and balers bearing names of the candidates were given out to the crowd during the event. - KBK, GMANews.TV