Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., who is seeking re-election, yesterday confirmed that he has invited La Carlota City Mayor Juliet Marie Ferrer to be his running mate in 2013, and said that their tandem would be “unbeatable”.

The governor said he is running under the United Negros Alliance and will also join a national party he did not name. He had been chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition but was recently replaced by Kabankalan Mayor Isdiro Zayco without being informed by the party.

Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr., who is also running for governor with the support of the NPC, said he has no problem with Ferrer running for vice governor with Marañon, “The more candidates there are, the more choices the people will have,” he said.

Alvarez said he and his runningmate, former San Carlos Mayor Eugenio Jose Lacson, will file their certificates of candidacy on October 1.

Marañon said the United Negros Alliance of which he is chairman will convene in the last week of September to announce their slate, and they will file their COC’s on October 4.

The governor said he is asking Ferrer to run for vice governor as women are more efficient , focused and thorough.

Last week 20 mayors of Negros Occidental endorsed Ferrer as a common candidate for governor to try to prevent a showdown between Marañon and Alvarez.

But Marañon and Alvarez have insisted that they will run for governor just the same.

Alvarez said the common candidate proposal was just talk, while Marañon said it did not push through.

Ferrer said she is honored by the offer of Marañon for her to run as his vice governor and in his trust in her.

However, she said a lot of factors have to be considered and she has to talk to her husband and family about it.

It’s a big decision to make, but if it is God’s will, and her destiny, so be it, she said.

Her husband Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) said the offer for his wife to run for vice governor is still under consideration by their family.

He also said if a common candidate is not acceptable to Alvarez and Marañon, then it will be a battle for the governorship between the two.

We would like to prevent a showdown and another meeting among the congressmen of Negros Occidental is still expected to be held, he said.

He said it was Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) who initiated the meeting of the mayors’ to propose a common gubernatorial candidate.

Benitez was expected to present the proposal to business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco, UNA and NPC founder, he said.

Asked whom he would support in a showdown between Marañon and Alvarez, Ferrer said he will decide, based on their advocacy and plans for the province that will redound to the good of the Negrenses.

Meanwhile, he said they should all focus on work and not let politics get in the way of development.*CPG

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