New faces in Southern Luzon; incumbents in Visayas

Among this year’s election winners are the Villafuertes of Camarines Sur.(Photo from the Camarines Sur Provincial Government)

(Second of a series)

Several provinces in Southern Luzon saw the emergence of new faces and the fall of once-formidable political clans while results of the elections in the Visayas showed a combination of upsets and the strength of incumbents.

In Southern Luzon, Quezon province will have its first female governor after fourth district Rep. Helen Tan stopped the reelection bid of Gov. Danilo Suarez, a veteran politician who had, for several terms, also served as representative of the third congressional district.

Suarez’s wife, Rep. Aleta Suarez, has been trailing in the third district race against former Board Member Reynante Arogancia.

Only their son, second district Rep. David Suarez, a former governor, is likely to get reelected as he leads the race against former Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, a member of another political clan in Quezon.

Tan’s son, Mike, will take over the seat that will be left by his mother in Congress.

In Camarines Norte, reelectionist Gov. Edgardo Tallado lost to Ricarte Padilla, a brother of Senate race front-runner and actor Robin Padilla.

Ricarte is not a political neophyte since he served for three terms as mayor of Jose Panganiban town. He is the son of the late former Camarines Norte Gov. Casimero “Roy” Padilla Sr.

Different story

But it was a different story for the Villafuertes of Camarines Sur, with reelectionist Rep. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte and his two sons winning their posts.

Vincenzo Renato Luigi Villafuerte, a political neophyte, would replace his older brother Miguel Luis (Migz) as governor of Camarines Sur after he defeated former Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. and singer-turned-vice Gov. Imelda Papin.

Migz went on to win the fifth district congressional seat while his father, LRay, was reelected in the second district.

In Marinduque, it was an easy win for Speaker Lord Allan Velasco as he ran unopposed for the province’s lone congressional seat. His father, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, also won his reelection bid for governor.

Mindoro remained a stronghold of incumbents, with reelectionist Governors Eduardo Gadiano of Occidental Mindoro and Humerlito Dolor of Oriental Mindoro getting fresh terms.

Dolor’s running mate, actor Ejay Falcon, a political greenhorn, beat reelectionist Vice Gov. Antonio Perez Jr.

In Oriental Mindoro, businesswoman and civic leader Marilou Morillo will serve as the first female mayor of the capital City of Calapan after beating Vice Mayor Gil Ramirez, a political veteran.

In the Quezon capital of Lucena City, a son and father tandem will run the city after Mark Alcala won the seat to be vacated by his father, Mayor Rhoderick Alcala, who won as vice mayor.

In the Albay capital of Legazpi City, the Rosal family continued to dominate, with Carmen Geraldine Rosal, wife of outgoing Mayor Noel Rosal, winning the position she used to hold (2010-2013) before her husband took over. Noel was elected governor of Albay.

Another husband and wife tandem, the Tuasons of Masbate City, also flexed their political muscle in the capital city of Masbate. Socrates Tuason ran unopposed as mayor while his wife, outgoing Mayor Rowena Tuason, will serve as the city’s vice mayor.

In Catanduanes, Gov. Joseph Cua was reelected and will serve with his brother, San Andres Mayor Peter Cua, who won as vice governor.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia. (Photo by DALE ISRAEL / Inquirer Visayas)

Cebu vote

Reelectionist Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia received 1,478,436 votes to beat former Tourism Secretary Ace Durano who received 341,455. This is the first time in the history of Cebu province where a candidate for governor breached the 1-million mark in the number of votes.

In Cebu City, Mayor Michael Rama will serve another term after getting 239,656 votes against the 202,224 votes of his closest rival, Margot Osmeña.

Reelectionist Mayors Jonas Cortes (Mandaue City) and Junard Ahong Chan (Lapu-Lapu City) also won.

These Cebu candidates supported the presidential bid of former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Cebu used to be a stronghold of the political opposition and the venue of anti-Marcos movements outside Metro Manila during the regime of Marcos Jr.’s father, the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

In Leyte, reelectionist Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez won against Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin. Romualdez’s son and running mate, Raymund, however, lost to Edwin Chua.

In Bohol, Jane Yap made history by becoming the first female mayor of the capital city of Tagbilaran.

Yap is the wife of outgoing Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap.

Upsets

The 2022 elections also saw major political upsets in the Visayas.

In Negros Occidental, billionaire and former Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez defeated longtime Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia.

In Capiz, Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras conceded defeat to Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro in the gubernatorial race.

Former Capiz Rep. Jane Castro is set to replace her husband, Fredenil, as representative of the province’s second congressional district.

—REPORTS FROM DELFIN MALLARI JR., MADONNA VIROLA, MAYDA LAGRAN, JOFEL JOYCE LANCION, SUZENE CAJEGAS, MA. APRIL MIER-MANJARES, STEPHANIE FLORIDA, DALE ISRAEL, LEO UDTOHAN, CARLA GOMEZ, JOEY GABIETA AND NESTOR P. BURGOS JR.

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