It's uncle versus nephew and Liberal Party versus Nacionalista Party in the fight for the fifth congressional seat of Negros Occidental, when the official campaign kicks off today.

Negros Occidental Board Member Emilio Yulo III, 48, of the NP filed his certificate of candidacy at the provincial Commission on Elections office in Bacolod City at 9:30 a.m., while his uncle Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol, 58, of the LP, filed his COC at 4 p.m. yesterday.

Yulo, a lawyer, and Mirasol, a farmer, are going on leave from their current posts during the campaign period.

The deadline for the filing of COCs for the June 2 special election for the congressman of the fifth district, left vacant with the death of Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr., was at midnight yesterday.

It was a show of force for the Mirasol camp over the “lollipop campaign” of Yulo at the COMELEC yesterday, but the race is expected to be tight.

Mirasol, who has the support of President Benigno Aquino and the United Negros Alliance, was accompanied by his wife, Mary Ann Torre-Mirasol, Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., Board Member Melvin Ibañez, mayors Hermilo Aguilar of Hinigaran, Francis Malabor of Isabela, Alberto Nicor Jr. of La Castellana, and Francisco Nazareno of Moises Padilla, and the barangay captains of the fifth district.

Yulo, who filed his COC in the morning, was accompanied by his wife, Rosalie Gatuslao-Yulo, father - former Isabela Mayor Emilio Yulo Jr., family members and Himamaylan Mayor Ernesto Agustin Bascon who handed out “lollipops” to those present.

Both candidates said they were ready to sign a peace covenant to keep the campaign and election peaceful.

GUV SEES MIRASOL WIN

Marañon also said he supports a peace covenant, as the election must be kept peaceful.

“We do not want politics of violence, we want a high level campaign based on issues and programs of government for the good of the fifth district,” he said.

The governor, who heads UNA that is backing Yulo, said he is 101 percent sure Mirasol will win the congressional race.

Mirasol said his message to his nephew is “May the best man win.”

Given the chance to be congressman of the fifth district, he will implement the RENEWAL program he is implementing in Binalbagan in the entire fifth district, and more, Mirasol said.

RENEWAL stands for: R - roads and infrastructure, E - environment, N - nutrition and social services, E - education , W – water A- agriculture, and L – livelihood, he said.

LOLLIPOP CAMNPAIGN

Yulo said does not have a lot of logistics but he will continue waging his “lollipop” campaign, as he had done during his previous campaigns. The board member said he distributes lollipops to people he meets on his campaign sorties and hopes the love they have shown him translates into votes on June 2.

Yulo said that, if elected congressman he will continue his delivery of education and health services to the people of the fifth district, as he has done in his seven years as board member.

“My advantage is the people of the fifth district have felt and seen the personal touch kind of service I have given in the last seven years. I hope it will be reciprocated by love converted into votes,” he said.

If he wins the congressional seat, he will file bills that will benefit his constituents and the nation, Yulo said, citing his blood and sweat equity for education plan. This will allow students to donate blood regularly in exchange for vouchers in state colleges and universities, he added.

Yulo said he will also push a bill that will institutionalize benefits for barangay health workers and nutrition scholars to give them a sense of security, on top of ensuring the basic infrastructure needs of the people of the fifth district.

The board member said that as congressman he also wants to participate in the national debate calling for the review of the Oil Deregulation Law that has not performed according to the intent of the law, and the Electric Power Industry Reform Act that has caused a spiraling increase of power rates.

Yulo said he also wants to review of the Philippine mining law, with numerous applications for mining also affecting the fifth district, and will support initiatives that will provide incentives to small farmers to enable them to survive beyond 2015 when the tariff on imports entering the country are lifted.

Yulo, had also served as acting vice governor of Negros Occidental on the death of Gov. Joseph Marañon that caused Vice Governor Isidro Zayco to assume the governorship.

Bascon said Yulo, as congressman, will act on the problems of the people of the fifth district and he, along with his family, will work hard to help the board member win.

VICE GUV’S STAND

Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez did not accompany any of the candidates in the filing of their COC’s yesterday, saying both of them are his friends.

He said he did not wish to take sides but is wishing both candidates good luck.*CPG

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