Yapha admits underdog status vs Gwen in race

Pinamungajan Mayor Geraldine Yapha is ready to face Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia in the Cebu third district congressional race.

Yapha, daughter of former congressman Antonio Yapha and former Provincial Board (PB) member Estrella Yapha, however admitted that even if she is running  under the administration Liberal Party, she is definitely an underdog candidate against Garcia.

“Anybody who is running against the top official of the province and the person who was reelected for three consecutive terms, is definitely an underdog”, Yapha said.

She has yet to get her party nomination from the LP as of yesterday, Yapha added.

Yapha said she will just rely on what she had accomplished in the town of Pinamungajan and her father’s good service in Cebu’s 3rd district.

The third district is composed of one city and six towns namely, Toledo City, Balamban, Asturias, Tuburan, Barili, Pinamungajan and Aloguinsan.

Of this, Pinamungajan, Barili and Tuburan mayors are identified with the LP while the rest of the mayors are with the One Cebu Party.

Yapha said she was not surprised when Governor Garcia announced that she will run instead for Congress in Cebu’s 3rd district and not for senator.

Yapha said she suspected that Garcia will run for congresswoman when she transferred her voter’s registration in Barili.

Asked how ready she and her party are, she said, “we are trying to be ready as we can.” Yapha’s father, Antonio will run as vice mayor of former senator John Henry Osmeña who is running for mayor in Toledo City against Mayor Aurelio Espinosa and Vice Mayor Arlene Zambo.