We, the undersigned provincial governors from different political parties, are issuing this collective statement to support the call of the ruling PDP-Laban for President Duterte to run for vice president in the May 2022 elections.
We want the President to seek the vice presidency so he could help his successor oversee the implementation of COVID-19 pandemic response programs his administration is carrying out to keep Filipinos from dying of the highly contagious new coronavirus and the illness it is causing.
For us, the strategy the administration is using to fight the pandemic is succeeding, given the fact that infections and deaths are fewer compared to some neighboring countries.
However, the virus will not go away in the immediate future. The President’s successor will thus need the guiding hand of his vice president in the war against COVID-19.
We want the President to continue having a say in the implementation of infrastructure projects throughout the country. We are witness to new roads, bridges, school buildings, airports, seaports, and similar infrastructures the administration has been constructing and which have generated jobs and income for our people, and economic growth for the country. The nation under President Duterte was on the way to a high growth path until the pandemic struck.
We want the President to pursue his fight against criminality, especially drug-trafficking and other drug-connected crimes, beyond his presidency. His war on drugs has made urban areas and rural communities more peaceful to live in and more conducive to economic activities. Just ask the people in our provinces.
We will continue to need President Duterte’s sincere concern for millions of overseas Filipino workers, whom he has consistently protected against exploitation and abuse. At the first sign of maltreatment of an OFW, he orders an investigation and suspends the deployment of additional workers until terms of employment and living conditions could be improved. The President is genuinely concerned for the safety and wellbeing of our overseas workers.
We want the President to help his successor continue his fight against corruption. He has sacked scores of officials on the basis of reliable information reaching him and those publicly linked to corrupt activities, even if they were his fraternity brothers. Whatever the critics claim, President Duterte is one of the more successful leaders of the country in fighting corruption.
We want the outgoing Chief Executive to have an influence on full devolution to local government units with the implementation of the Supreme Court’s Mandanas ruling, which would increase LGUs’ internal revenue allotments by about P1 trillion. Such an increase would mean more infrastructure and services to the poor in urban and rural communities.
The next administration would need President Duterte’s help in reviving local tourism, which had been booming until the new coronavirus outbreak. Millions of Filipinos were criss-crossing the country to see its beauty. Local tourism never had it so good.
For these and other reasons, we implore President Duterte to run for vice president under a standard-bearer he could work with and who shares his love of country and its people and vision for a better Philippines.
Gov. Daniel Fernando (Bulacan, NUP)
Gov. Aurelio Umali (Nueva Ecija, Unang Sigaw)
Gov. Edgar Gadiano (Occidental Mindoro, Partido Dakilang Dugong Samahan)
Gov. Pepito Alvarez (Palawan)
Gov. Edwin Ong (Northern Samar, NUP)
Gov. Ben Evardone (Eastern Samar, PDP-Laban)
Gov. Arthur Defensor, Jr. (Iloilo, PDP-Laban)
Gov. Antonio Kho (Masbate, PDP-laban)
Gov. Abdusakur Tan (Sulu, PDP-laban)
Gov. Zaldy Villa (Siquijor)
Gov. Bonz Dolor (Oriental Mindoro)
Gov. Edgar Tallado (Camarines Norte)
Gov. Imelda Dimaporo (Lanao del Norte- PDP)
Gov. Ryan Singson ( Ilocos Sur)
Gov. Dakila Cua (Quirino-PDP)
Gov. Florencio Miraflores ( Aklan-PDP)
Gov. Art Yap (Bohol)
Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu (Maguindanao)
Gov. Suharto Mangudadatu (Sultan Kudarat)
Gov. Damian Mercado (Southern Leyte)
Gov. Micheal Tan (Western Samar)
Gov. Rogelio Eapina Jr. (Biliran)
Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras (Capiz)
Gov. Victor Yu – (Zamboanga Sur)
(Gov. Ben Evardone) – jlo
