President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. received unwavering support from Visayas governors and the members of the influential ‘One Cebu’ provincial party headed by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
The Visayas-based politicians reaffirmed their commitment during a unity lunch held Thursday, January 30, 2025 at the Cebu Provincial Capitol in Cebu City.
President Marcos, in his speech, said he and his wife—First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos—are overwhelmed with joy by the declaration of support from their Visayas allies.
The event gathered governors from the Visayas region, mayors, vice mayors, councilors, provincial board members, and representatives from the Provincial Association of Barangay Councils in Cebu.
They issued separate manifestos to acknowledge the President’s commitment and achievements in nation-building.
“We, the duly elected governors of the Visayas region, representing our respective provinces and the millions of Filipinos who call the Visayas home, stand united in our unwavering support for the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.,” said the manifesto of governors.
All 16 governors from the Visayas region signed the manifesto.
The League of Municipalities in Cebu praised the President’s consistent efforts “to lead the Philippines as an economic force to be reckoned with in Asia,” shown in his decisiveness and determination in formulating systems and strategies to spur economic growth.
It said the President’s unwavering commitment to safety and domestic security has attracted foreign investments, resulting in significant rewards for the country.
For its part, the Philippine Councilors League (PCL)-Cebu Chapter said the Marcos administration’s actions are in the best interest of the Filipinos, “promoting general welfare and contributing to nation-building.”
“His firm leadership has resulted in progressive and dynamic results and responsiveness to the needs of Filipinos,” their manifesto said.
Sixteen members of the PCL-Cebu Chapter, including their President, Ricardo Pepito, signed the manifesto, and seven Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation members also expressed their support.
The SK Federation supported the “Bagong Pilipinas” governance vision, saying they “stand together for better governance built on justice, equality, accountability, unity, and integrity.”
The endorsement follows a similar event in August 2024, when the First Lady received Manifestos of Support from leaders in Cebu on behalf of the President.
President Marcos received over 1.5 million votes from the province of Cebu – the highest number of votes cast by any province during the 2022 presidential election.
The President said the unity shown by Cebu leaders had a significant impact on other governors from the Visayas region, who pledged their steadfast commitment and support for the Marcos administration by signing the manifesto.