Albay Governor Francis Bichara has thrown his support to the presidential campaign of Vice President Leni Robredo.
Bichara said the entire membership of provincial board is headed by Vice Governor Edcel Lagman and the ten regular members, together with three ex-officio members from the Association of Barangay Chairman, Federation of Sangguniang Kabataan Presidents and League of Councilors, are likewise supporting Robredo.
All the city mayors of the cities of Legazpi, Ligao, and Tabaco, and fifteen municipal mayors are for Robredo, Bichara added.
Bichara said the support for Robredo was “not only because she hails from Bicol but she is the most qualified, capable, honest, trustworthy and caring presidential candidate.”
Robredo earlier launched her official campaign in her hometown in Naga alongside her running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan.
On Friday, over 100 economists and five former National Economic and Development Authority chiefs have backed the presidential bid of Robredo.
“At this time when our country is struggling to recover from its deepest economic crisis since the 1980s, we believe that the government’s role has never been more indispensable,” the Economists for Leni said in a statement.
“We, the undersigned economists, express our full support for the presidential bid of Ma. Leonor ‘Leni’ Gerona Robredo,” they added.
Those who signed included ex-NEDA chiefs Ernesto Pernia under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte; Solita “Winnie” Monsod, the Socioeconomic Planning secretary under the late former President Corazon Aquino; Cielito Habito (Ramos administration); Dante Canlas (Arroyo administration); and Emmanuel Esguerra (Benigno Aquino III administration).
Other signatories were former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo and economist-lawmaker Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo.