BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The Grupo Progreso will hold a grand political rally tomorrow at the Pope John Paul II Tower at the Reclamation Area in Bacolod City, after a Eucharistic mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral.
GP is composed of congressional candidate Dan Atayde, and re-electionists Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran.
Its candidates for councilors are incumbent Councilors Cindy Tan-Rojas, Archie Baribar, Renecito Novero, Israel Salanga, Carl Lopez and Dindo Ramos, come-backing councilor and former City Administrator Em Legaspi-Ang, businessman Ed Guillem, former Barangay Captain Jonathan Diaz, veteran broadcaster Marlon Solidum, IT professional Cashmere Montalvo and Dr. Chris Sorongon.
Sorongon, GP spokesperson, said the mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral will start at about 3 p.m. After the mass, the candidates of GP will then march with their supporters towards the Pope John Paul ll Tower, where the grand rally will be held.
They are inviting the people to join the GP rally if they believe in the cause of the party and if they believe that GP will continue the progress it has started in Bacolod together with Mayor Bing Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, congressional candidate Dan Atayde and the whole GP slate for councilor he said.
Sorongon said they will also comply with the guidelines of the Comelec to refrain from campaigning after May7.
Meanwhile, Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center-Task Force deputy for medical, data analysis and management, reminded the public to observe minimum health protocols and better yet, to be vaccinated when attending gatherings like political rallies. If it is impossible to observe social distancing, they should wear face mask.
This is the advantage when a city’s population is protected. About 135 percent of Bacolod City’s population is vaccinated which means that these vaccinated individuals are the ones who will protect those who are not, he said.
“However, we still need to wear face mask and observe minimum health protocols to prevent a possible surge of COVID-19 cases,” Sorongon said.
On the other hand, Sorongon said the Comelec has issued guidelines that COVID-19 positive patients can vote on May 9. But they are still waiting for the final guidelines on how to go about it – whether all persons assigned to the polling place should wear PPE’s and who should spend for them, and if the patient should be transported by ambulance from the quarantine facility to the precinct.
These are the things they need to clarify because if a COVID-19 positive patient will be moved from one place to another, this will pose risk not only to the people he or she may come into contact with, but to the people in the polling place, he said.
Sorongon said that Secretary of Health Francisco Duque has advised that if one showing signs or is infected with COVID-19, it would be better for the patient to remain at home or in the isolation facility instead of going to the voting center. So, they just waiting for the final guidelines of Comelec regarding the matter.*
