PROVINCIAL Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II clarified that Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson welcomes all national candidates who are coming into the province and wants to pay a courtesy visit to him.This despite the fact that Lacson has already declared support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo and the candidacy of Senate President Vicente Sotto III for vice president.Diaz confirmed presidential aspirant Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, who is arriving in the province Friday, April 1, will meet the governor at the Provincial Capitol Building in Bacolod City to have lunch together.He said there is no problem if the candidates pay a courtesy call to the governor, saying: “We will give (them) a Negrense warm welcome.”Pacquiao’s campaign manager and former Bacolod mayor Monico Puentevella said that upon arrival in Silay City, the presidential aspirant will meet Mayors Mark Golez and Nilo Jesus Antonio Lizares III of the cities of Silay and Talisay, respectively.Included in Pacquiao’s activities are his visit to Burgos, Libertad and Bacolod Central Markets and an Interfaith Christian Fellowship at His Life Ministries compound at Santa Clara Avenue in the city.Pacquiao will arrive in Silay City via chopper from Iloilo and will proceed to Dumaguete City on Saturday, April 2, before flying back to Manila for the presidential debate.Puentevella earlier said that Pacquiao is also meeting Bacolod mayoralty aspirant Alfredo “Albee” Benitez during his visit in the city.But photographs he sent to the media yesterday showed that the two were able to meet during the senator’s visit in Iloilo City Thursday, March 31, 2022.Incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who is a long-time friend of Pacquiao, earlier said: “I have no control over that,” when asked if he has a scheduled meeting with the senator.Leonardia, in a statement Thursday, said the people of Bacolod welcome boxing icon and wife, Jinkee, to the City of Smiles.”As with other dignitaries and ranking government functionaries, and even presidential candidates, visiting our beloved city, it is, indeed, an honor to have the ‘Pambansang Kamao’ in our midst, especially so that he is an adopted son of Bacolod,” he said.The mayor added that “we wish him all the best in his new political journey with high hopes that he will have a pleasant time during his visit to our city and other areas of Negros Occidental.” (With reports from EPN)