‘FIRST CONGRESSWOMAN’: Baronda tops latest survey, gathers thousands of supporters

Iloilo City congressional candidate Julienne Baronda is ready to hit the ground running. She is shown here acknowledging supporters during Team Uswag’s grand rally at Jaro Plaza. Also in photo are (from left) reelectionist councilors Jay Treñas and Lady Julie Grace Baronda, and their candidate for mayor Cong. Jerry Treñas. PHOTO BY ANGEL ZALDIVAR

ILOILO City – Blessed with a 59.3 percent score in the newest survey of Random Access Consultants, Inc. (RACI) and more than 150,000 people who have joined district rallies and caucuses plus the support of faith-based and other organized groups such as El Shaddai, former city councilor and Senate staff Julienne “Jam-jam” Baronda is poised to become the first congresswoman of this city.

In their grand rally on Tuesday, over 30,000 Ilonggos painted Jaro Plaza red with t-shirts and placards supporting Baronda, Cong. Jerry Treñas and Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon who are running for congresswoman, mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

The crowd cheered like basketball fans listening to the trio, the 12 candidates for councilors led by reelectionist Councilor Lady Julie Grace “Love-love” Baronda, and senatorial candidates like Sen. JV Ejercito who spoke on video and was represented by his wife Cindy and son Julio.

Baronda thanked the people for egging her to return to local public service and for their outpouring of support since she decided to answer positively their call.

She also expressed her gratitude for her remarkable survey results done only two weeks prior to Election Day. She netted a 2.6 percent increase from her previous March 2019 rating of 56.7 percent despite the well-funded black propaganda against her.

Baronda is ahead with a wide margin of 27.3 percent from Joshua Alim whose score even dropped by 0.5 percent.

RACI, the most-trusted survey firm in Western Visayas run by University of the Philippines Visayas professors for more than a decade now, conducted the survey on April 27 and 28, 2019 among 600 respondents using the multi-stage sampling methodology and face-to-face interviews among voting residents of Iloilo City.

“I believe the people want somebody who is ready by Day One in office. In Jam-jam Baronda they see someone who has the track record as Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation president and city councilor. They saw I have hands-on training and experience in national level lawmaking as Chief Political Officer of Sen. JV Ejercito for five years. They must have appreciated my concrete platform of government and my vision for our city,” explained Baronda of her imminent win in the congressional race.

“I cannot discount the fact that we have helped a lot and they are somehow paying me back. My fellow SK officials then are behind me now. The people I helped when I was a city councilor are also helping me. Even fraternities and sororities, religious groups, and many others are contributing their time, money and effort to my campaign,” Baronda further said.

Not to be forgotten is the partnership with Congressman Treñas who has a well-organized team and leaders, and Vice Mayor Ganzon who enjoys a high popularity among the Timawa and the marginalized sector.

“Congressman Treñas and Mrs. Rosalie have nurtured their organization. There is the Blue Angels. They have barangay leaders. Certainly these people will deliver,” said Baronda.

Meanwhile, Treñas also enjoys a wide lead of 35.5 percent over Mayor Jose Espinosa III in the RACI survey. Treñas scored 62.7 percent while Espinosa only got 27.2 percent.

Ganzon enjoys the same with 54.5 percent against Councilor Plaridel Nava’s 29.7 percent only.

Councilor Love-love Baronda still leads the race among the councilor hopefuls with 59.7 percent.

With a few days prior to Election Day, Baronda encouraged her supporters to continue enlightening their family, neighbors and friends of the programs for health, work, peace and order, and education as well as traffic congestion, power, water, and shelter to make them see the light and choose her and her allies.

She also cautioned them to be on the lookout for more vicious character assassination against her and the team to taint her reputation and character.

She further warned them to be on guard against any and all forms of cheating or political machination to derail Team Uswag’s victory./PN

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