REP. Joey Salceda of Albay’s Second District expressed his support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo and vice presidential aspirant Mayor Sara Duterte of Davao City.
Salceda said he had long followed and studied the two’s track record in public service, especially in the area of good governance and management style.
“Both VP Leni and Mayor Sara are known for judicious and effective use of public resources in the offices and agencies they presided over. That will be very crucial given our post-pandemic fiscal space,” Rep. Salceda said.
The Albay legislator mentioned that the two being his long-time friends, he knows and have already studied their plans for the people, the country and its future. He likewise pointed out that the two candidates’ visions cohere significantly, especially in the area of economic development.
He likewise reported that both candidates inspire investor confidence, an important issue for any candidate, especially for those aspiring for a national position. “I first publicly announced my support for VP Leni in a forum of 500 local and foreign investors, hosted by a major global bank. This announcement was very well-received. I also first signaled my support for Mayor Sara back in March last year, in another international forum hosted by a different global bank based in Singapore, and that announcement helped trigger a local stock market boom, especially for stocks with Singaporean equity.”
“In other words, people with the capital and confidence this country needs to feel optimistic about our prospects with VP Leni and Mayor Sara,” he added.
Rep. Salceda party, PDP-Laban, has already endorsed Mayor Sara, but has not announced its support for any presidential candidate. Thus, he said party members are then free to choose a candidate according to their own judgment and conviction. “Based on my conversations with many political leaders, Albay officialdom, including members of my party, is hugely Leni-Sara,” he emphasized.
He reiterated that Leni-Sara is not a hostile combination as some would suggest. Rep. Salceda pointed out that the two were friends who can work together if they both win.
In 2015, Rep. Salceda intimated that Mayor Sara and then-Congresswoman Leni even went out together on a casual meal while their presidential candidates were duking it out. “Both are professionals. Both are obsessed with delivering positive results for the people.”