Iloilo City leaders back JV Ejercito’s Senate comeback

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Iloilo City Rep. Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda, along with Senator Franklin Drilon, have backed the senatorial bid of former Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito.

Ejercito will arrive today to join Drilon and the local officials in the Topping Out Ceremony of the Ungka II Flyover and the Groundbreaking of the Iloilo Sunset Boulevard at Sooc, Arevalo.

“Senator JV Ejercito is a good, passionate and dedicated man. He proposed laws of long-lasting impact such as the Universal Healthcare Law and the creation of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. He deserves a fresh term in the Senate,” Baronda said.

Baronda, who previously served as Ejercito’s chief political officer, thanked her former boss for facilitating the expansion of the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) and the Western Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC).

Meanwhile, Ejercito is set to meet with Treñas, Baronda, and barangay officials and leaders today in Iloilo City. In his previous trip, he has expressed support for the plans and programs of the two leaders.

He will also visit the WVMC, vowing to support the completion of its heart, lung, and kidney center.

Ejercito previously pushed for the allocation of funds for the establishment of a regional heart and lung center at the WVMC and a heart, lung, and kidney center at the WVSUMC.

As one of the staunchest advocates of healthcare and infrastructure development in the Senate during his first term, he helped secure around P900 million for both projects.

“Senator JV Ejercito, we are with you in your quest to join the Senate one more time and advance your transformational and visionary pieces of legislation. We deserve a good Senator in you,” the Iloilo congresswoman said.

Baronda and Ejercito first met in 1997 when the latter was looking for youth leaders to campaign for former President Joseph Estrada.

“From then, we again bumped into each other in the JCI Movement. When I ran in 2013, she became in charge of the campaign for Western Visayas, particularly Iloilo province,” Ejercito said.

“When I won, she worked as my political officer in the Senate. Now that she is Congresswoman, she still packs that same energy as when she was working with me, particularly in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her energy to serve is simply amazing,” he added.

Senator Drilon, who also hails from Iloilo City, recently endorsed Ejercito, whose mother traces her roots to Molo District, calling on Ilonggos to vote for his former colleague.