CEBU CITY—Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. on Saturday led the oath-taking at the Cebu Coliseum of some 5,000 community leaders in Cebu and neighboring provinces as volunteer members of a people’s movement supporting President Rodrigo Duterte in his war against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.
The Kilusang Pagbabago successfully gathered community leaders and member volunteers coming from Cebu province and other regions in the Visayas.
Doris Isubal-Mongaya of Kilusang Pagbabago said the people’s movement will serve as Duterte’s partner for change by serving as a watchdog that fights corruption and ensure that government does not stray from a pro-people agenda.
“Kilusang Pagbabago will also be an educator that raises awareness on Duterte’s change agenda and reforms and a defender of the republic ready to help during calamities and against criminality and threats of destabilization,” Mongaya said.
Mongaya said the movement shall work with the administration in the fight against crime, drugs, and corruption through monitoring, documentation, reporting, and advocacy campaigns and ensure effective delivery of government services to intended communities.
A former rebel-priest, Evasco was the chief of staff of then Davao City mayor Duterte who later served as mayor of Maribojoc, Bohol and Duterte’s national campaign manager last presidential elections.
Earlier, Evasco and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña led the inauguration ceremonies of the Kilusang Pagbabago Cebu-Visayas office. The office is located inside the Opascor building. Opascor members formed the core of the Duterte-Osmeña supporters during the campaign.