Upsets scored by candidates against established names will usher in new faces in the political landscape of Nueva Ecija, long dominated by political dynasties.
The biggest upset, based on unofficial returns as of Tuesday, was scored by Maricel Natividad against Mayor Christian Tinio of Gapan City.
In Palayan City, Rianne Cuevas foiled the mayoral bid of former mayor and Nueva Ecija Rep. Pacifico Fajardo Sr. She had 9,999 votes against Fajardo’s 5,926.
Board Member Ging Suansing of Unang Sigaw Partido ng Bayan is headed to become representative of the first district of Nueva Ecija. She is leading Quezon Mayor Mariano Cristino Joson, with 84,742 and 70,636 votes, respectively.
Magnolia Antonino, daughter of Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, is winning for representative of the fourth district of Nueva Ecija against big names in politics that included former Rep. Julita Villareal, former San Isidro Mayor Sonia Lorenzo and San Leonardo Mayor Froilan Nagaño.
In Zambales, the daughter of former Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso, Cheryl Deloso-Montalla of the Liberal Party, appeared headed to defeat reelectionist Zambales Rep. Jun Omar Ebdane in the province’s second congressional district.
Partial and unofficial results from the Commission on Elections and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting pointed to a huge loss for members of the Magsaysay and Gordon clans of Zambales.
Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr., a candidate in Zambales’ first district, and his wife, Anne Marie, who is running for Olongapo mayor, are set to lose.
Gordon is behind former Subic Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun in the first district race by at least 20,000 votes, while Anne Marie is trailing Vice Mayor Rolen Paulino by at least 3,000 votes.
The children of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial candidate Ma. Milagros Magsaysay, who has lost in her Senate bid, are also headed for defeats.
Jobo, who ran in the first district of Zambales, and Vic-Vic, who ran for vice mayor in Olongapo, are losing their races. Inquirer sources in Olongapo said the loss of the Gordons could be attributed to charges of mismanagement of the city and squabbling within the family.
“People want change. They just wanted to see what the opposition has to offer,” said Aurelio Pineda, head of Metro Olongapo Chamber of Commerce Inc.
A source in the camp of UNA senatorial candidate Richard Gordon said the former senator’s son, Brian, and his nephew, Bugsy de los Reyes, who ran for mayor against his aunt, Anne Marie, divided the Gordon vote.