Likely winners in Metro mayoral races

Candidates for senator, congressman, party-list representative, governor, vice governor, mayor, vice mayor, councilor and board member will be filing their certificates of candidacy from Oct. 11-17.

They have exactly nine days to complete their lineup, finalize their parties and firm up or build new alliances.

This early, some mayoral bets seem certain of victory due to the lack of a strong contender. They include Pasig Mayor Bobby Eusebio, Makati Mayor Abby Binay, Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan, Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, film director Lino Cayetano who wants to replace Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, Las Piñas Mayor Imelda Aguilar, Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos and Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte who wants to succeed Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Others are Pasay City Rep. Imelda Calixto-Rubiano who is eyeing the post of incumbent Mayor Tony Calixto, Valenzuela Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian (despite rumors that President Duterte’s partner Honeylet Avanceña is running for city mayor), Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III.

On the other hand, neck-and-neck fights are looming in Manila (Erap Estrada-Isko Moreno-Alfredo Lim); San Juan (Jinggoy’s daughter Vice Mayor Janella Ejercito vs former Vice Mayor Francis Zamora); Marikina (Mayor Marcelino Teodoro vs Rep. Miro Quimbo); Malabon (Mayor Antolin “Len Len” Oreta III vs Rep. Ricky Sandoval) and Navotas (former Mayor Toby Tiangco who wants to reclaim the city’s top post vs a member of the Del Rosario political clan).

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I really have serious doubts about senatorial surveys released by Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia at this time. Having worked with both firms while I was with ABS-CBN News for nearly two decades, I transformed into a doubting Thomas but unlike the guy in the Bible, I had direct personal experience in elections.

This is why I came up with my own list of preferred senatorial candidates (based on my personal assessment and not on their “winnability”) from which I will choose my Magic 12. They are Koko Pimentel, Sonny Angara, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Serge Osmeña, Imee Marcos, Sara Duterte, Harry Roque, Ted Failon, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Florin Hilbay, ex-Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, Bong Go and former Manila Councilor and Presidential Adviser Dan Roleda.

Will my bets win? It’s up to the Commission on Elections and Smartmatic management to ensure that the poll results will mirror the people’s choices come election day.

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Tidbits: In the third telco public hearings, I cannot understand why Presidential Adviser on ICT and Economic Affairs RJ Jacinto insists that only two companies will build new government-initiated cell site towers to be shared by telcos.

Today, the Philippines has only 17,000 cell sites against Vietnam’s 70,000 and Indonesia’s 90,000. If these two firms pushed by Jacinto are allowed to corner the enormous backlog of maybe 20,000 to 30,000 new cell sites, a new duopoly is created and Mr. Duterte’s goal will be defeated. Plus, these companies will earn billions of pesos. Why only two? Logically, the more cell site builders, the better.

Acting Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. of the Department of Information and Communications Technology must oppose this.

Please e-mail your reactions and suggestions to [email protected].