BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Several members of Grupo Progreso showed their support to the candidacy of Leni Gerona Robredo for President during a gathering attended by different organizations at the Bacolod Pavilion Function Hall in Bacolod City Wednesday evening.
Present were the GP Bacolod congressional candidate Dan Atayde and candidates for councilor Em Ang, Dr. Chris Sorongon, Jonathan Diaz, Ed Guillem, Cash Montalvo and re-electionist Renecito Novero.
Robredo was accompanied by John Pangilinan, brother of her running mate Kiko Pangilinan, and Rafael Coscolluela, convenor of Negros for Leni Movement.
Sorongon, GP spokesperson, said Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran (whose grandmother is a Gerona) also supports the presidential bid of Robredo, while Mayor Evelio Leonardia remains neutral in his stand (and has not endorsed any presidential candidate).
“Other GP candidates have their own personal choice. We are here on our own personal capacity because we have chosen our candidate for president. We did not come here in behalf of the party, but rather we came here on our own personal choice,” he said.
However, the GP candidates support the vice-presidential bid of Sara Duterte-Carpio, he added.
Sorongon said they have chosen to support Robredo because they saw her character and that her transformation leadership jives with their advocacy.
He said he has spent time working with Robredo during the pandemic. He was one of her volunteers who helped deliver PPE’s and other needs of COVID facilities and different hospitals in Bacolod City. He also has been working closely with other volunteers in helping different communities in Bacolod, he said, adding that “We saw this (in Robredo) and want to implement this in the whole country.”*
