• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The United Negros Alliance (UNeGA) is expected to announce its official line up of candidates for various elected positions in Negros Occidental, in line with the 2025 midterm elections.
UNegA president, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, yesterday said that they will have a general assembly next week, to be attended by all their members.
Negros Occidental 2nd district Representative Alfredo Marañon III serves as UNegA chairman, with Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. as the secretary general.
Ferrer said they will officially announce and present their candidates, from the vice gubernatorial position down to the mayor and vice mayoralty posts.
Except for the 2nd and 4th congressional districts, he said they have no candidates in other Negros Occidental districts.
The party “will not interfere in some other districts,” Ferrer stressed.
UNegA has coalesced with Love Negros since 2019.
Ferrer earlier announced his intention to run for the 4th district congressional post, and Board Member Jose Benito Alonso will be fielded for the vice gubernatorial position, as revealed by Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano.
Alonso is expected to be the running mate of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, who also announced his plans to seek reelection.
During the general assembly, Ferrer said they will try to resolve the case of Moises Padilla, where both UNegA members, incumbent Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia Yulo and Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor, intend to run against each other in the mayoral race.
Asked if they will support former Mayor Isidro Zayco, should he decide to run as mayor of Kabankalan City, under the UNegA and Love Negros coalition, Ferrer said he cannot comment on it yet.
There are also reports that Board Member Valentino Miguel “Macho” Alonso, a member of UNegA, may run for mayor of Kabankalan City, against the incumbent, Mayor Benjie Miranda.*