ERSTWHILE Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano on Monday, May 28, maintained that the Padayon Pilipino Party has remained strong, solid and intact over the years, more so with the forging of alliances with other political groups recently.
The political kingpin and founder of the local party witnessed the mass oath taking of some 44 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairpersons and over 200 youth council members in the city at the provincial capitol grounds on Monday, May 28.
The newly elected youth leaders were sworn into office by his son, Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Emano.
The older Emano is the party's chairman emeritus with his son Bambi the current vice-chairman. While opposition city councilors Nadia Emano-Elipe and Leon Gan serving as the party's president and vice-president, respectively.
"Akong panghinaot nga dili alang sa Padayon Pilipino ang ilang pagpanumpa kung dili tinuod nga pag-alagad sa katawhan ug sa mga kabatan-onan sa ilang mga barangay,"Emano said.
The former city mayor said while the party holds the majority of the elected village and youth leaders, the decision as to who would bid for the barangay and SK representation in the city council remains in the consensus of the village leaders themselves.
He said he is delegating the task to other party leaders to eye for possible candidates for the Association of Barangay Council (ABC) elections.
"Wala na ako manghilabot gihatag ko nana nga tahas kang Gan ug Nadia. Maningkamot lang kami nga usa sa among mga kauban ang mapili nga ABC president,"Emano said.
Emano also said it is too early to discuss the local slate and other political moves for the midterm polls, next year.
He added the party would still convene to deliberate who will lead the Padayon slate in the city and in the province.
Emano said the party's coalition with other political groups like the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) led by the city's former 2nd district representative Rufus Rodriguez and with the upcoming alliance with the Hugpong ng Pagbabago of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio might be of big help for the party to sustain its political strength.
He said he did not object when the party members decide to make ties with the presidential daughter's Hugpong ng Pagbabago.
"Decision kana sa mga kauban nga mokuyog ni Sara Duterte wala ko mosupak, ako lang usa magpabilin dili lang ko mouban kay kung mosumpa ko uban ni Sara mawala na ang Padayon Pilipino,"Emano said.
Emano reiterated that he is no longer joining politics in the next elections due to lack of resources.
"Sabotan ug hisgutan pa kinsa ipadagan nga mayor kay ako dili na makagahom. Si Bambi pud magpabilin sa lalawigan kay dili pwede talikdan ang katawhan sa probinsya,"Emano said.
Emano is asking his colleagues in the party to uphold their principles,remain unfazed and stay united.
"Nanghinaot ako nga magpadayon ang lig-on nga baruganan ug panaghiusa. Dili malikayan nga mabalaka nga motapot ang uban sa kaatbang kay ingon ana man ang politika,"Emano said.
