ILOILO City – The reelection of Cong. Julienne “Jam-jam” Baronda is in the offing with her overwhelming lead against three probable opponents whose names were included in the independent survey recently conducted by the region’s most reliable polling firm, Random Access Consultancy, Inc. (RACI).
In a four-cornered fight, the survey showed that Baronda will get a fresh term with 56.2%, followed by Lex Tupas with 17% and Joshua Alim with 15.3%. In last place with 10.3% is Jose Espinosa III.
But when asked in the same survey to choose only between Baronda and Espinosa, a majority of 72.8% of the 600 respondents chose Baronda, while only 19.3% said they would choose the latter. Baronda got 70% in a one-on-one contest against Alim, who got 25%.
The House assistant majority leader will get the support of six out of 10 Ilonggo voters while Tupas will get 2 in 10, and Alim and Espinosa will get only 1 in 10 likely voters, the survey done on Sept. 22, 2021 showed.
Baronda thinks that the massive support of the Ilonggos reflected in the survey is a result of her hard work as she championed health, obra, peace and order, and education initiatives under her slogan “Gugma Ko, HOPE Mo,” among other achievements.
“We did not make empty promises. We delivered. We produced results. We filed and pushed legislative measures of long-lasting impact as well as infrastructure projects. We also did our best to help our people when the pandemic struck,” she told Panay News.
One of those she has helped said their entire clan will campaign for Baronda’s reelection bid.
“Kinahanglan gid naton si Cong. Jam-jam Baronda tungod kay ang iya nga vision kag gusto is ang health sang pumuluyo kag ang pomuluyo gid ya mismo,” said Precious Pama of Barangay Magsaysay, La Paz who survived a life-saving open-heart surgery through Baronda’s help.
“Hapos gid ‘ya palapitan si Cong. Jam. Paghambal mo, wala na damo pamangkot. Pagkinahanglan mo bulig, ara dayun. Ginapangitaan ‘ya gid pamaagi biskan budlay na. So dapat gid siya e-reelect kay ang iya nga gina-main nga service is ang tawo gid,” she added.
Pama said she happened to pass by Baronda’s office on Jan. 4, 2021 and chanced upon the legislator whom she met for the first time and approached her.
“Gintagaan ‘ya gid sang full amount ang akon operasyon. So siya lang gid ang congressman nga nakahatag sang full amount which is P750,000. Pamaagi sina wala na ako nabudlayan kag ginbuligan ya man ako paano maka-access sa doctor sang Philippine Heart Center,” the mother to a six-year-old daughter shared.
Pama is among the beneficiaries of the Department of Health (DOH) Medical Assistance to Indigent Persons who have received a total amount of P32.7 million since 2019.
Apart from that, Baronda also facilitated Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations worth P93.7 million, the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) TUPAD worth P89.4 million, DOLE CAMP worth P93.2 million, GIP worth P26.7 million, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) scholarships worth P28.2 million and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) scholarships worth P17 million.
Pama said without Baronda she might not have made it, that is why she wants the legislator to continue serving the Ilonggos.
“Ang gugma [love] dapat gid na ipadayun kay gina-atipan ‘ya gid ang tawo. Ang mga gakinahanglan nga tawo, kapin pa gid ang low income nga pumuluyo sang Iloilo nga indi bala makasarang… Dapat gid ina ipadayun para damo pa si Congressman mabuligan nga pumuluyo sang Iloilo,” she said.
Punong Barangay Lilibeth Eduardo of Barangay Burgos Mabini, La Paz, meanwhile, said she wants Baronda to continue her service because “ang manami sa iya kay indi mo na kinahanglan magpa-appointment. No need magsaka ka sa office nya. Biskan diin kamo magsumalangay pwede mo sya ma-istorya. Ako gani nagsumalangay lang kami sa plaza, after pila ka adlaw may nagkadto na nga staff niya parte sa gin-request ko nga gym sang barangay namon.”
Eduardso added, “Masalingan gid naton sya. May mehora. Bisan sobra pa lang duha ka tuig sa Kongreso damo na inobrahan. Silent worker lang sya ya. Amo na ang manami sa iya. Kumbaga it’s not the number of years you are in that position but the quality of work nga naobra mo. Amo ina ang importante. Amo ina si Cong. Jam-Jam Baronda.”
Their barangay gym worth P5 million is almost finished. It is among the infrastructure projects worth P4 billion that Baronda facilitated for Iloilo City since assuming office.
Baronda has also authored or co-authored more than 146 bills and resolutions. Her pet bill seeking the increase in hospital beds of Western Visayas Medical Center to 700 from 425 has become Republic Act 11496 in November 2020.
Baronda thanks Pama, Eduardo and many others who have texted or messaged her on Facebook asking her to seek reelection.
“I submit to the wisdom of the Ilonggo people who ask me to continue giving them my GUGMA brand of public service. I thank them for their support.”/PN
