Elections to test strength, decide future of dynasties in Central, Northern Luzon
BAGUIO CITY—As the candidates’ caravans and mudslinging move faster and more furious at the end of the campaign, bets have also been made as to what today’s elections would bring to the provinces.
Will Nueva Ecija province elect its first woman governor? Will incumbent officials and political dynasties retain their hold over local politics?
Many candidates in Central and Northern Luzon are husband-and-wife teams, some fighting rival couples for posts vacated by family members. In places like La Union province, family members are battling for the same posts.
All eyes are trained on Nueva Ecija Rep. Czarina Umali (Liberal Party), who is seeking the province’s gubernatorial post long held by a succession of 33 male governors since 1898.
Umali is not the first female politician to make the attempt. Three other women, two of them former representatives, tried but failed to win as governor. Umali, wife of incumbent Gov. Aurelio Umali, was first thrown into the political limelight when she ran and won the congressional race in 2007. She was reelected in the 2010 and 2013 elections.
She is facing former Rep. Rodolfo Antonio (United Nationalist Alliance), who is supported by former Gov. Tomas Joson III, chair of the homegrown Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane) and Cabanatuan Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara. Governor Umali is seeking his old post as representative of the third district against Ria Vergara (Nationalist People’s Coalition), the Cabanatuan mayor’s wife. Closely watched in the second district is the fight between Mikki Violago (LP) and her brother-in-law Lito Violago (Nacionalista Party). Mikki is the wife of outgoing Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago. In San Jose City, outgoing Mayor Marivic Violago-Belena, sister of Violago, fielded her husband, former Mayor Alexander Belena (LP), against Mario Salvador (NPC).
In Nueva Vizcaya province, Rep. Carlos Padilla is running for governor, a post being vacated by his wife, Ruth Padilla, who is gunning for a congressional seat.
The couple is running against former allies, gubernatorial candidate Jose Gambito, who once served as vice governor, and congressional candidate Luisa Cuaresma, a former governor.
Cagayan province’s biggest fight will also be between former allies: Jack Ponce Enrile, son of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, and Board Member Ramon Nolasco.
In Pampanga, the interesting match-up is in Angeles City, where movie actor and outgoing Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid is challenging Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.
Lapid is supported by former Mayor Carmelo Lazatin, whose son Jon-jon is running for the first congressional district seat against basketball coach and reelectionist Rep. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao.
In the fourth congressional district, a tough fight has emerged between former Apalit Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr. and reelectionist Rep. Juan Pablo “Rimpy” Bondoc, a member of the Puyat clan.
Pamintuan and Tetangco are both supported by reelectionist Gov. Lilia Pineda, who is running unopposed, and her local political party Kambilan.
In Zambales province, the gubernatorial race is a rematch between reelectionist Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and former Gov. Amor Deloso. In Olongapo City, Mayor Rolen Paulino, who ended the long reign of the Gordon family in 2013, will face former Mayor James Gordon Jr.
In Tarlac province, people are waiting to see if President Aquino could draw votes for administration allies from his hometown. As in the 2013 elections, Tarlac is an NPC country. Only three of the province’s 17 towns and city have kept the NPC-LP coalition, including Tarlac City. Capas is the only town where there are separate complete slates of NPC and LP. The remaining 14 towns are NPC dominated.
No fierce battle is likely in the races in three congressional districts. Reelectionist Rep. Noel Villanueva is unopposed in the third district. Outgoing Gov. Victor Yap is opposed by newcomer Tino Galang in the second district, while former Negros Rep. Charlie Cojuangco, son of NPC chair emeritus Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., is challenged by independent candidate Cristino Diamsay.
In Bulacan province, 11 candidates are vying for the governor’s seat but political pundits say the fight will be between reelectionist Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado and former Gov. Josefina de la Cruz.
Elections in La Union province have been described as “highly charged but manageable” as the sons of Gov. Manuel Ortega challenge their relatives.
The governor’s brother, Pablo Ortega is being challenged by his nephew, Victor Emmanuel Jr., and another relative, Justo Orros III, in the first congressional district.
Pablo’s brother Mario Eduardo Ortega, a candidate for governor, is facing another governor’s son, Francisco Emmanuel Ortega. The Ortegas would divide votes with three other candidates: former provincial board member Henry Bacurnay, former Rep. Tomas Dumpit and Arrono Clark Field III.
In Pangasinan province, attention has been focused on the race in the fifth congressional district between outgoing Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and reelectionist Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, and the gubernatorial contest between the governor’s son, Amado Espino III, and Cojuangco’s husband, former Rep. Mark Cojuangco.
In Baguio City, the mayor’s seat is being contested by incumbent Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Jose Molintas, Guillermo Hernandez and retired Judge Edilberto Claravall.
A recent poll survey showed a close fight in the city’s lone congressional district among reelectionist Rep. Nicasio Aliping, former Rep. Bernardo Vergara and businessman Mark Go. Reports from Anselmo Roque, Tonette Orejas, Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Ron Lopez, Allan Macatuno and Jo Martinez-Clemente, Inquirer Central Luzon, and Yolanda Sotelo, Melvin Gascon and Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon
