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“Some congressmen are urging Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II to consider Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. as his running mate,” reports Jess Diaz in The Philippine Star.
One of those lawmakers is Palawan Rep. Douglas Hagedorn, who said, “As Quezon City mayor, (Belmonte) successfully steered the bankrupt city into one of the most progressive areas in the country. Before he became mayor, the city was debt-ridden. Now, it is earning more than PHP10 billion annually.”
Hagedorn added that “Belmonte also successfully headed the Government Service Insurance System and Philippine Airlines.”
Hagedorn went on to say, “Another advantage for him is his being a multiple-term lawmaker and Speaker of the House of Representatives. He is not only a competent leader and manager, but also an experienced legislator.”
Rep. Miro Quimbo of Marikina and Rep. Jesus Eleandro Madrona of Romblon expressed support for Hagedorn’s suggestion.
However, Hagedorn said he “is not sure if the Speaker would accept the challenge of becoming Roxas’ running mate.” In other interviews, Belmonte has said he was “not interested in the presidency or the vice presidency.”
Instead, Belmonte suggested that Roxas should consider Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as his running mate. Belmonte described Cayetano as a “fighter.”
Photo: News clip
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