Nagpahayag ng suporta ang 40 sa 81 na gobernador ng bansa sa vice presidential bid ni Senador Christopher "Bong" Go.
Sa isang resolusyon, nanumpa ang mga nanunungkulan na mga gobernador na "hindi sila mapapagod na mangampanya" para sa presidential race ni Go sa 2022.
Naghain si Go ng kanyang kandidatura para sa pagka-bise presidente, pinalitan niya si Pangulong Duterte bilang opisyal na PDP-Laban nominee para sa posisyon.
Sinabi ni Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone na ang 40 na gobernador ay nirerepresenta lamang ang inisyal na batch ng mga provincial executives na susuporta kay Go.
Kabila sa mga susuporta sa senador ay si Marinduque Gov. Presbitero Velasco, presidente ng Governors League of the Philippines.
Hindi pa natutukoy kung ang mga gobernador ay personal na pinirmahan ang resolusyon o sinabi lamang ang kanilang desisyon sa pamamagitan ng internet.
“As a long-time close aide to then Davao City mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Bong Go has gained wide and valuable insights on and has had to confront problems relating to both local and national governance,” saad ng mga gobernador sa resolusyon.
“Such experience has prepared him adequately for elective public office – as senator and hopefully as vice president. Having come from the ranks of local public servants, we have no doubt that Bong Go understands the issues we face 24/7 in our respective provinces,” anila.
Binanggit din ng mga gobernador ang Malasakit Centers sa bansa, si Go ang principal author nito sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 11463 o ang Malasakit Centers Act of 2019.
“The senator from Mindanao has made affordable healthcare accessible to Filipinos through the Malasakit Center, which is a one-stop shop for medical and financial assistance several government agencies allocate for the sick, who now have to go to just one office instead of laboriously seeking help from one agency to another," ayon sa mga provincial leaders.
Nasa 138 Malasakit Centers na ang naitatag sa mga pampublikong ospital sa bansa.
“With our support, if he is elected vice president, Bong Go promises to continue President Duterte’s programs, particularly his campaign against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption. These are some of the problems we continue to face as local officials, despite the administration’s gains in stamping out such nefarious activities,” ayon sa mga gobernador.“Senator Go also promises to pursue the President’s Build, Build, Build infrastructure program, which hastens economic development and provides jobs and incomes to our people in the country," dagdag pa nila.
Ben Rosario