Wednesday, October 4, 2017
By Carla Gomez

About 11,500 political leaders in Negros Occidental will simultaneously take their oaths as members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakasng Bayan in Victorias and Bacolod cities tomorrow morning, Yves Akol, PDP Laban Negros Island secretary general, said yesterday.

The mass oathtaking is part of the push towards a federal form of government, he said.

PDP Laban national officials at the oathtaking will be led by party secretary general, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, and treasurer, Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Clint Aranas, Akol said.

Chairman of the party is President Rodrigo Duterte, while its president is Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III.

Akol said 9,000 will take their oaths at rites at the Victorias Coliseum in Victorias City organized by Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District).

In Bacolod City 2,500 will take their oaths at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos organized by Mayor EvelioLeonardia, Akoladded.

Those who will take their oaths do not include barangay captains, he also said.

He said no additional Negros Occidental mayors will be taking their oaths tomorrow, since the PDP-Laban already has an alliance with the Nationalist People's Coalition.

Among the Negros Occidental officials who have opted to remain with the NPC, headed by Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco are Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Rep. Melecio Yap (1st District), Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (6th District), Rep. Greg Gasataya (Bacolod), and about 10 mayors.

The main objective of the PDP Laban expansion is to gather forces to push the campaign for federalism awareness, Akol said.

The objective is for the move towards federalism to be acted on by Congress next year, and for it to be in place before the president's term ends, he added.

He said they are also hoping for theretention of the Negros Island as part of one federal state with the shift towards federalism.*CPG