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• EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN — SciTech and Digital News

PASIG CITY, October 11, 2024 (SDN) — Businesswoman & philanthropist Sarah Discaya, who is running for mayor assured today, Friday, she is all for a peaceful and orderly and clean election in the city.

And that she is ready to commit to that objective.

To realize this goal, Discaya of the “Team Kaya This!” challenged Vico Sotto, the incumbent mayor, to sign an agreement for peace aimed at elevating the coming campaign period in the city.

Written in Filipino, the document titled “A Peace Covenant” (Agreement on holding a peaceful campaign for Election 2025 in the City of Pasig), was already sent to Sotto and received by the Office of the Mayor this morning.

Discaya, chief financial officer (CFO) of the St. Gerrard Construction Corporation, and lawyer Christian “Ian” Sia, showed the document to members of the media during a press conference held at the company’s Headquarters in Barangay Bambang, along F. Manalo Street.

In relation with this, a political adviser of the mayor confirmed the Peace Covenant paper was already received but the mayor still has to read it.

The first paragraph of the Peace Covenant reads:

_________

“We, candidates for city mayor of Pasig, incumbent Mayor Vico Sotto and mayoralty aspirant Sarah Discaya, as well as our supporters, are wholeheartedly in support of and agree to a Peace Covenant in the spirit of unity, respect to our fellow candidates with a promise to strengthen the will of Pasigueños in May 2025,” the document says.

“Because we recognize the importance of peace and integrity of the electoral process, we agree and fulfill the (Covenant’s) promises…that will be witnessed by representatives of the Church, local police and the City Judiciary.”

Together with the Peace Covenant paper, Discaya also sent the mayor an Open Letter.

She said the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC) has already passed, and the two of them are now official candidates for city mayor.

In the coming days, she said she and Sotto will face Pasigueños to seek their “sacred votes”.

“You, as the re-electionist politician. I, as an ordinary housewife aspiring to serve our town mates,” her Open Letter emphasizes.

She adds: “My suggestion, Mayor, is the two of us sign a Peace Covenant that will encourage our town mates to join in assessing your five-year accomplishments, and my promise to accomplish in the first three years, so that in their assessment as who will they choose will be enough and their awareness is fully responsible and well-informed voters.”

Discaya said her suggestion for a Peace Covenant or agreement for a peaceful local election, from the campaigning until election day, flows from her desire that issues will not generate confusion in Pasigueños’ mind even if mud-throwing proliferate when our leaders and supporters conduct campaign in the coming days.

If Sotto agree to sign the Covenant, here are the promises it contains:

• 1. Support public order and respect for fellow human being.
• 2. Respect for an honest election process.
• 3. To fight any form of cheating and vote-buying.
• 4. Responsible use of traditional (media) and social media.
• 5. Peaceful acceptance of the election’s official result.

The document also emphasizes that failure to abide by the Covenant will not only stain the signatories’ names as Pasigueños but will also be a betrayal of the people’s trust.

“That is why we vow to faithfully respect and fulfill the stated contents in the Peace Covenant whose objective is to ensure that the city election will be held peacefully, clean and impartial 2025 elections for the welfare of all Pasigueños,” the document emphasizes.

To witness and implement the Covenant are representatives of the Church, Pasig Police Station, and Pasig City Judiciary.

The Covenant covers and ensures the fulfillment of the promises of the signatories and witnesses who signed will implement the Agreement.

In her Open Letter, Discaya called on the mayor to conduct a “friendly political campaign” until the elections’ conclusion.

“It is my wish that you will agree and be one with me in signing the agreement that I proposed,” she says, adding those who will benefit will not only be the rival groups but the whole City of Pasig as well as its citizens who will peacefully and gladly unite and join a peaceful political exercise,” Discaya says.

The Team Kaya This! mayoralty aspirant proposed the City Hall to be the place for the signing as she committed that all members of her slate will go to City Hall for the signing.

If it goes through, she said it could be the first time the relevant event will occur in the whole Metro Manila.

In a related development, Discaya, whose St. Gerrard Construction Charity Foundation, Inc. has been conducting — 25 barangays to date at least — medical missions for the city’s poor, also gave a hint of Team Sarah’s platform, such as a focused attention to health, education, and stronger response to Pasig senior citizens, among others of their platform.

Earlier, it was announced that Team Kaya This!’s aspirants for the city council include former Miss Universe Shamcy Supsup-Lee and movie actress Ara Mina.

For congressman, its trial lawyer and former councilor lawyer Christian “Ian” See. (♡)