Misamis Oriental Representative Juliette Uy, local execs declare support for VP Leni’s presidential bid

Misamis Oriental Representative Juliette Uy and her entire Team Unity ticket on Sunday, March 27, declared their support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo, saying that it was a move based on a “principled choice.”

They made the announcement in a press conference where Uy was joined by her husband Julio, the former provincial vice-governor, their daughter, Villanueva Mayor Jennie Mendez, Vice Governor Joey Pelaez, and several other local officials. Uy is running for provincial governor.

Uy is a member of the National Unity Party (NUP). Over the weekend, the NUP president, Cavite Rep. Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga, and his wife, Dasmariñas City Mayor Jenny Barzaga, endorsed the presidential bid of Robredo even as the party announced its support for Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

At the press conference, Uy said a candidate’s “credibility” and trustworthiness were among her criteria for choosing who to support in the May 9 elections. For her, that candidate is Robredo, who she first met, and became close friends with, while they were in the House of Representatives.

“A very simple woman. Virtuous, with righteousness… committed especially when it comes to work. [She is] very serious [with her job],” Uy said.

Pelaez said that theirs was a “principled choice” in endorsing Robredo for President. He also said that the Filipino people must revisit history and know that martial law was never good for the country. Pelaez cited the controversial coco levy fund during the Marcos years which had brought hardships to the coconut farmers instead of helping them.

“We should all go back to our history... what happened before because that will be the basis of our choice,” Pelaez said.

For her part, Mendez said that their ticket’s support for Robredo was not because of the “bandwagon effect” or based on popularity.

“We're here to serve the Filipino people, not any political party or any specific political color,” Mendez said.

She said that their ticket is supporting Robredo because of her advocacies, which includes education, a quick response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Angat Buhay livelihood programs, and support for women and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). [End]