BACOLOD CITY (PNA) –Candidates for the mayoralty race in this city vowed to initiate programs to alleviate the plight of the urban poor sector here should they win in the coming May polls.

They made the pledges during the recent Urban Poor Candidates Forum organized by the Parish Pastoral Council of the Diocese of Bacolod and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) in the San Antonio Abad Parish Church.

The Forum was attended by mayoralty candidates, Rep. Monico Puentevella; businessman Vladimir Gonzales; Atty. Andrea Sy; and incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia who was represented by the Secretary to the Mayor, Rodel Parcon.

Puentevella pushed for a total Housing Development Act, establish an urban poor affairs office, a livelihood program and a new hospital for the urban poor; a decent relocation program for informal settlers, and free health care medicines likewise for the urban poor sector.

Gonzalez, on the other hand, pushed for a sustainable, progressive, and globally competitive city, a decent relocation site for informal settlers and micro-financing for job generation.

For his part, Sy pushed for development programs for the urban poor by providing livelihood activities and cooperatives, activate an urban poor council, and launch a decent housing program for the city’s informal settlers.

Through his representative, Leonardia said the urban poor needs special support from the city government because they lack income, food, houses, and education. He said the city government has impl d several programs and projects for the benefits of the urban poor which the city has created under an Anti-Poverty Council Ordinance.

Meantime, Fr. Anectio Buenafe, Parish priest of San Antonio Abad church, said he was happy with the response of the mayoralty candidates and stated that what were proclaimed during the Forum would be documented.

Saying that “the urban poor is one of the most important sectors in the city of Bacolod,” Fr. Buenafe pointed out that the majority of the city's population are poor and during all elections in the past, they have been “victimized” by politicians who merely court them for their votes.

He said the candidates’ Forum was in response to the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for candidates to really start serving their constituents, by concretizing what they say they will in their respective platforms as presented during the Forum and educate voters in the true meaning of good governance.