The Philippines: Moreno desperate for Cebu; Marcos Jr gets endorsement from Solid North

• As Marcos Jr faces yet another petition to disqualify his bid for the Presidency based on his tax evasion conviction, the Marcos-Duterte UniTeam managed to get the endorsement of a group of Pangasinan leaders.
• The Bayambang Mayor, on behalf of “all the 44 incumbent and aspiring mayors and six incumbent and aspiring congressmen of the province of Pangasinan … hereby express our unequivocal support to you, for your candidacy and we will do everything in our province in our power to ensure an unequivocal victory in the coming elections.”
• The endorsement of the “Solid North” bloc is vital to bringing the dynastic tandem to Malacañang in 2022.
• Moreno is also continuing to try and court the Cebu vote, amidst Marcos Jr publicly asking for One Cebu’s support the week prior.
• Just a week after giving cash aid to fire victims in Barangay Mabaling, he was back in town on 5 Dec 21, again accompanied by Deputy Speaker Pablo John Garcia, who is the secretary-general of the One Cebu Party.
• Other than Garcia, City of Naga Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong and her father, the former mayor Valdemar “Val” Chiong, also accompanied Moreno during his visit. Visiting various places of work and sectors, he continued to praise the local government. Moreno on 6 Dec 21 also has various engagements planned, the most significant one being the award ceremony of the Sugbo Negosyo Programme of the Cebu Provincial Government. Moreno has said that he will not stop until he persuades Cebu to say “yes” to him.
• However, Mayor Chiong reiterated that once again, they will not be endorsing and candidate at the moment.
• Pacquiao has also been making some moves to bolster support, such as the formation of an e-sports team.
• The leader of his faction of the PDP-Laban, Koko Pimentel, has also encouraged those from the Cusi faction to return to the fold of the “legitimate” PDP-Laban. This courtesy however was not extended to the leaders of the Cusi faction. Pacquiao himself has said that he wants to reunite the two sides, but on the condition that Cusi himself is removed.

External Link : https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/12/3/Pacquiao-on-PDP-Laban-unification-talks.html

External Link : https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/12/05/2145809/koko-offers-balik-pdp-laban-program

External Link : https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/12/06/2146040/isko-moreno-courts-vote-rich-cebu

External Link : https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/12/06/2146039/pangasinan-leaders-unite-solid-north