ILIGAN CITY – The National Unity Party dominated the midterm elections in Misamis Occidental, grabbing the top provincial post and the top leadership positions in at least six of the provinces 17 towns. Four of the other mayoral posts went to the Liberal Party, four to the Nacionalista Party, two to the United Nationalist Alliance and one was a tossup between the NUP and the LP.
During the first half of President Benigno Aquino III’s term, the NUP allied itself with the administration party in the House of Representatives. Most of its members were formerly with the Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and Kampi, the merged party of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The NUP took the gubernatorial seat with the reelection of Herminia Ramiro, a former Arroyo ally. Her choice for vice-governor, independent bet Virginia Almonte, also won.
Almonte is the wife of reelected first district Rep. Jorge Almonte, who belongs to the Liberal Party (LP).
The NUP particularly won big in the second district, taking the top leadership positions of four of its seven municipalities. These are Sinacaban, Clarin, Ozamiz and Tangub cities.
Apart from the mayoral seats, most of the local legislative seats were also won by NUP bets.
Through an alliance with the Nacionalista Party, it helped unseat Rep. Loreto Leo Ocampos, who squared off with Vice Governor Henry Oaminal for the post.
The NUP garnered four of five provincial board seats in the second district. It also cornered all elective seats in Ozamiz and Tangub cities. In Tangub, reelected Mayor Philip Tan achieved his 15-0 goal, that is, victory for his 12-member city slate, Oaminal, Almonte and Ramiro.
The NUP sweep installed the father-daughter team of Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. and Nova Princess Parojigno-Echavez in Ozamiz City. The father served as mayor for three terms from 2001, passing it to Nova Princess in 2010. She slid to vice-mayor this year.
The victory of Cris Mahilac as mayor dislodged the hold of the Lood family in Sinacaban. Incumbent Mayor Dello Lood trounced Mahilac in 2010.
In Clarin town, outgoing mayor and board member-elect David Navarro successfully passed the baton to his wife Elsa while outgoing vice-mayor and councilor-elect Emeterio Roa will be succeeded by his wife Lora.
The couple Evelyn and Samson Dumanjug survived the NUP onslaught in Bonifacio town. The wife-husband team took the top two seats of the town. Their slate also dominated the race for council seats.
LP’s mayoral bet in Tudela, Estela Obut-Estaño was unopposed.