Mayoral races in Bulacan: new faces, comebacks, reelections
Former mayor Eduardo “JJV” Villanueva Jr. of Bocaue had this photo taken at the front door of the office of the mayor after he was proclaimed the newly elected town mayor. (Contributed photo)
CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan––A businessman unseated his niece in the mayoral race in San Ildefonso town in this province by a narrow margin in the recently concluded May 9 elections.
Gazo Galvez, who obtained 33,893 votes, defeated reelectionist San Ildefonso Mayor Carla Galvez-Tan, who got 33,629 votes. It reflected a margin of 264 votes.
But Tan’s cousin and running mate, Vice Mayor Rocky Sarmiento, won his reelection bid.
The province also saw seven other new faces get elected to various positions.
In San Rafael, former village chair Cholo Violago, son of outgoing Mayor Cipriano “Goto” Violago, ran unopposed.
In Norzagaray, neophyte Merlyn Germar, wife of Mayor Fred Germar, won as mayor. Fred, meanwhile, lost in his bid as the sixth district congressional candidate.
Hagonoy Mayor Raul Manlapaz will be succeeded by his wife, Baby.
Obando Councilor Ding Baleda defeated Espie Santos, wife of outgoing Mayor Edwin Santos.
In the vice mayoral race, Mayor Santos also lost to Baleda’s running mate, Arvin Dela Cruz.
Lem Faustino, a businesswoman, defeated former Mayor James De Jesus of Calumpit in the mayoral race.
Lawyer Agatha “Agay” Cruz succeeded her father, outgoing Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio Cruz Jr., who was proclaimed the winner in the congressional race in the newly created fifth district of Bulacan.
Angat Vice Mayor Jowar Bautista won as the new mayor.
Six former mayors also staged a comeback after successfully winning their respective races. They are lawyer Christian Natividad (City of Malolos), Jocelle Vistan (Plaridel), Eduardo “JJV” Villanueva Jr. (Bocaue), Bartolome Ramos (Sta. Maria), Ronaldo Flores (Doña Remedios Trinidad) and lawyer Henry Villarica (City of Meycauayan).
Elsewhere in the province, 10 incumbent mayors were reelected. They are Paombong Mayor Mary Anne Marcos, San Miguel Mayor Roderick Tiognson, Pulilan Mayor Maritz Ochoa-Montejo, Bulakan Mayor Vergel Meneses, Eladio Gonzales of Balagtas, Enrico Roque of Pandi, Francis Juan of Bustos, Arthur Robes of the City of San Jose del Monte, Ferdie Estrella of Baliwag, and Ricardo Silvestre of Marilao.
