THE entire incumbent local chief executives in CAMANAVA (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area and in Quezon City were all re-elected following the May 9 local and national elections.
While there were new faces who got elected to several other posts for city councils and Congress as well, most re-electionists have similarly got fresh mandates as the Board of Canvassers separately proclaimed them as winners except for QC’s winning bets led by virtual winners incumbent Mayor Herbert ‘Bistek’ Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.
In Caloocan, Mayor Oca Malapitan clinched his re-election for the second term after getting 62.32 percent of votes in the city’s 963 clustered precincts.
His closest rival for the position was Rep. Enrico Echiverri, the mayor for three terms until 2013.
Also proclaimed winners were Mayor Malapitan’s son, Dale Gonzalo Along, who won the congressional seat for the first district and Rep. Edgar ‘Egay’ Erice, who handily beat ex-Rep. Mitch Cajayon, for his reelection bid as the second district representative.
“With my team which almost swept the elections except for one council bet from District 2, the people of Caloocan are assured of a more unified city officials who will work hand-in-hand to make sure that the much-needed services are delivered to them properly and with dispatch,” says the mayor who has vowed to focus on fighting the city’s drug problems, among others.
Said to be the longest-serving local official as he became councilor for the city’s two districts for three terms each or exactly 18 years before he was elected for the first term as vice mayor in 2013, Vice Mayor Maca Asistio easily defeated Echiverri’s running mate Ato Oliva with 330,874 votes as against the latter’s 90,352.
Incumbent Caloocan Councilors (District 1 and 2) Carol Cunanan, Obet Samson, Tino Bagus, Rose Mercado and Onet Henson led the ‘Oca Team’ as among the winners in the duly-concluded polls.
In Valenzuela, Mayor Rex Gatchalian handily defeated Rep. Magi Gunigundo in the race with 190,576 votes as against the lawmaker’s 65, 206 votes while the former’s running mate, Lorie Natividad-Borja beat Mar Morelos.
For congressional post, Gatchalian’s brother, Wes, of the Alay-Buhay party-list, easily beat Richie Cuadra who got 22,246 votes as compared with his (Wes) 92,541 votes for District 1 while Eric Martinez emerged victorious against Gunigundo’s wife Adel for District 2.
For council posts, Councilor Rovin Feliciano led the Rex Team in the winning circle except for two lucky bets from Gunigundo’s camp.
In neighboring Malabon, Mayor Lenlen Oreta got his second term after beating Rep. Jaye Lacson-Noel while his mother, ex-Senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta, lost to her rival, the come-backing Ricky Sandoval, for the city’s lone congressional post.
Sandoval has been known to be the Father of Malabon Cityhood as he was responsible for its transformation when he was its representative from 1998 – 2004.
His wife, Vice Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, also handily beat her closest rival, Jap Garcia, for her second term.
Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco has secured his third term with his reelection unopposed while his brother, Rep. Toby Tiangco, who got 84,550 votes, was similarly proclaimed winner. GOOD RIDDANCE/ARLIE CALALO
