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Leonardia files COC early, goes for Congress

• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO

Former Bacolod Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia (with microphone) addresses his supporters at the public plaza after he filed his certificate for candidacy for congressman of Bacolod City.* CGS photo

Former Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for congressman of the Lone District of Bacolod City under the Nacionalista Party, yesterday at the Commission on Elections.

He was the first candidate to file his COC on the first day of filing, but this time, without a team.

Leonardia was accompanied to the Comelec Office by his wife, Elsa and daughter, Kara, after attending mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral, along with his supporters who kept chanting “Bring back Bing.”

The former mayor and his family came in a green shirt while most of his supporters wore red.

He explained that when he first became mayor of Bacolod his color was green. “So, for me, it is some kind of a fresh start. This is a new beginning.” Secondly, his family’s patron saint is St. Joseph and that even his brothers use green in their businesses. He also believes that the color of Bacolod is green.

Leonardia said being alone is not something new in Bacolod. “You can recall that former congressman and mayor Monico Puentevella has done that and he was successful.”

Being alone has its own advantages. But he is happy that the people who showed their support are the same people who had been with him. They are his source of inspiration and strength, he said.

Leonardia said it took some processing before he decided to run for congressman of Bacolod. There were some people who wanted him to run for mayor, while there were some who wanted him to run for congressman.

He recalled that he had been mayor of Bacolod for 18 years and had been working eight hours a day for those years, even up to early morning. However, he cannot stay in the same parameters and wants to widen his horizon to serve the people at a different level.

He has made Bacolod The Most Business-Friendly City, the Best Performing LGU, etc., so, he feels he has nothing much to prove, he said.

“Taga Bacolod gid ko ya (I am a true blooded Bacolodnon). I was born here and I will die here,” he added.

Asked of his chances of winning should Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez also decide to run for congressman of Bacolod, Leonardia replied “Only time will tell.”*

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