Vote early: Comelec
urges 1.5M in Negros
ARRIVAL OF 13 PCOS
REPLACEMENTS AWAITED
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Provincial Election Supervisor Wil Arceño yesterday called on the 1.5 million registered voters in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City to go out and vote early today.

“Don't sell your votes, it is your duty as citizens to ensure that good leaders are elected for the country and your communities,” was Arceño's message to voters.

Voting starts at 7 a.m. and will last until 7 p.m., but he hopes voters turn out as early as 6:30 a.m., Arceño said.

The Comelec and law enforcers are all set for the polls, even with 13 defective Precinct Count Optical Scan Machines still not replaced by their head office as of last night, he said.

20,000 join
Grupo Progreso grand rally
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

More than 20,000 supporters of the Nationalist People's Coalition-Grupo Progreso filled the Bacolod City Public Plaza to overflowing after marching through the city streets led by its standard bearers to converge for their grand rally, or “miting de avance,” Saturday.

The enthusiasm of the crowd that stayed on up to the close of the program that featured fireworks, was compared by observers to a grand fiesta where the candidates not only spoke on their platform, but also entertained them with various acts and performances.

But the most significant speaker of the night was former congressman Charlie Cojuangco, son of NPC president, former Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, who personally endorsed the tandem of candidates Mayor Evelio Leonardia for congressman, Jude Thaddeus Sayson for mayor, former councilor Greg Gasataya for vice mayor, and the party's candidates for the Sangguniang Panlungsod..

6 Team PNoy senate
bets endorse GP bets
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Six Team PNoy senatorial bets endorsed the candidacies of the Nationalist People's Coalition–Grupo Progreso candidates in Bacolod City during their grand rally at the City Public Plaza Saturday, which drew cheers from thousands of supporters of the group who filled the venue to overflowing.

Team PNoy senatorial candidates Loren Legarda, Jamby Madrigal, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, Benigno “Bam” Aquino, Grace Po and Riza Hontiveros called up Saturday during the miting de avanse and talked to the crowd to thank Grupo Progreso and to ask Bacoleños to support their slate.

The Grupo Progreso led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and Greg Gasataya, congressional, mayoralty and vice mayoralty candidates, respectively, are supporting the Team PNoy senatorial candidates because of the coalition between the NPC-Liberal and Nacionalista Parties.