By Danny O Sagun

Dagupan City (12 November) -- A university located on the second floor of a public market?

Binalonan town Councilor Francis Tinio wants this anomalous situation corrected as he presented himself available in the coming mayoralty fight.

Guesting at the weekly Engkwentro sa Lenox forum Wednesday, Tinio said that while he had agreed with the putting up a university in that town some years back, he was dismayed to find out later that the university would occupy the second floor of the new town public market.

He said the university should have been located elsewhere since the public market, he pointed out, should be used for its sole purpose. If successful in his mayoral bid, he said he will put priority on the relocation of the school campus.

Told that he would be up against a political family which has ruled the town for some four decades, Tinio, a three-term alderman, said he was inspired by the successful bids of non-politicians from other areas like Gov. Grace Padaca of Isabela and Gov. Ed Panlilio of Pampanga. "Sila ang nagbigay sa akin ng inspirasyon para ituloy ang laban kahit na talagang mahirap kalabanin ang isang very powerful figure," he said referring to incumbent Mayor Ramon Guico, Jr. who is now on his third term.

Tinio, a lawyer, may be up against the mayor’s son, Ramon III, who is the incumbent vice-mayor. The elder Guico was said to be considering running for vice-mayor or congressman in the fifth district.

"Tuloy-tuloy na ito, wala nang makakapigil satin," he said as he admitted that he is facing a formidable opponent as well as pressures for him to withdraw from the race and just run for vice-mayor.

He bared he already took oath as member of the Liberal party last week. He said he was already finalizing his ticket.

Tinio is the grandson of a known lawyer from the town, Diosdado Villarin, who was a friend of the father of the mayor, Ramon Sr. "Pero dinisregard ko na yan, ang importante nagyon ay ang kinabukasan ng Binalonan," he said referring to the ties between the two families.