Mayor Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada casts his vote in Manila for the midterm elections on May 13, 2019. INQUIRER.NET / TETCH TORRES-TUPAS
MANILA, Philippines — Two generations of Estradas lost their quest for the top posts in two different cities in this year’s midterm elections.
In an unprecedented lead by two mayoral candidates who challenged a 50-year reign and a former president who has already had two terms, a powerful clan in politics has been dethroned.
50-year-old grip of San Juan
On Monday night’s proclamation of Francis Zamora, history was written.
It was the first time in 50 years that someone outside the Ejercito Estrada clan will be seated as mayor.
Zamora was up against Janella Ejercito Estrada, who is the incumbent vice mayor of the city.
If she had won, Ejercito Estrada would be replacing Mayor Guia Gomez, the mother of Senator JV Ejercito, and would become the third-generation Estrada to be mayor of San Juan City.
The first to hold the post was her grandfather, former President Joseph Estrada.
Next to become San Juan City mayor was her father, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who served as mayor from 1992 to 2001, while Senator JV Ejercito served as mayor from 2001 to 2010.
Zamora scored a 10,000 difference to pull away from Ejercito Estrada.
READ: Francis Zamora proclaimed as San Juan City mayor
Results from the City Board of Canvassers showed that Zamora, running under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), led the mayoralty race with 35,060 votes, while his opponent, Ejercito Estrada, running under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), garnered 24,813 votes.
“Ito na po ang pagbabagong hinihintay namin sa mahabang panahon at ito po nakamit na natin, nagsalita na po ang mga mamamayan ng San Juan…Gusto nilang baguhin ang sistema, gusto nilang baguhin ang pamamalakad, gustong baguhin ang liderato, at ito na po yun,” Zamora told reporters when arrived at the San Juan Gymnasium with his family and supporters.
A younger mayor
A new mayor for the country’s capital has yet to be officially proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of writing, but Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso is already the presumptive winner of Manila’s race for mayor.
READ: Isko Moreno still leads in Manila mayoralty race
As of 9:07 p.m, Moreno already garnered 328,031 votes while Estrada got 191,993 votes. Former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim, meanwhile, got 126,644 votes.
Moreno’s apparent win ended what could have been Estrada’s third and final term as Manila mayor.
When he arrived at the Manila San Andres Complex where the City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) is currently tallying votes, supporters exploded in cheers.
When asked about his impending win, Moreno said: “It’s a very humbling experience.”
WATCH: Isko Moreno on securing Manila’s top post | @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/fmgjDfD2IG
— Christia Ramos (@CMRamosINQ) May 13, 2019
“Yung aming kasiglahan, yung aming enerhiya gagamitin namin through public service and I think mas, hoping, makakaranas kayo ng aktibong Maynila,” Moreno told reporters as the were transmitting votes from the remaining precincts. (Editor: Abe Cerojano)