Dictator's legacy
While the fate of the only son of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr. as vice presidential candidate has remained in limbo as of Friday, his mother, sister and other relatives have kept their political grip: Ilocos Norte, birthplace of the late president deposed by a four-day people backed military revolt, is still a Marcos country.
All of the Marcoses running in the May 9 elections, all under Marcos’s Nationalista Party seemed headed for victory:
The governor-vice governor tandem of Marcos’s eldest Imee and her first cousin Angelo Barba ran unopposed. They are both on their last term.
Imelda Marcos, who is also on her last term, is winning in the 2nd district congressional race, with 131,168 votes against independent candidate Lorenzo Madamba, who only have 2,008 as of writing.
Imee’s son Matthew Joseph Manotoc and her first cousin Mariano Marcos II are both leading the count for provincial board member in the 2nd provincial district.
Ilocos Sur's Farinas
Meanwhile, in the 1st district, re-electionist and last-termer Rudy Farinas of LP is leading the race against Ryan Remigio of KBL and Ronnie Mandac of UNA.
Abra’s Valeras
In Abra, the Valera-Bernos clan members are winning over the Bersamins. The Valera-Bernos clan members are running under NUP while the Bersamins are running under LP.
In the gubernatorial race, Maria Jocelyn Valera-Bernos, outgoing representative of Abra’s lone district, beat Ruby Bersamin, wife of outgoing Governor Eustaquio Bersamin. She has been proclaimed winner.
NUP’s Ronald Balao-as won the vice gubernatorial race against NP’s Rolando Somera.
Along with Valera-Bernos and Balao-as, JB Bernos, three-time La Paz mayor, was also proclaimed as representative of Abra’s lone district. JB will be replacing his sister-in-law, Maria Jocelyn Valera-Bernos.
In Bangued, Mayor Dominic Valera, father of Maria Jocelyn, is currently leading the mayoral race against outgoing Governor Eustaquio Bersamin. Valera will be serving his second term if he wins.
For vice mayor, outgoing Vice Governor Rosario Bersamin, niece of Estaquio, is losing the vice mayoral race to incumbent vice mayor Allan Seares of NUP. This will be Seares’ third and last term if he wins.
Pangasinan’s Espinos
In Pangasinan, the Espinos beat the Cojuangcos. The incumbents and the unopposed candidates won key positions.
The Espino family members, who ran under Aksyon Demokratiko party, won big in the province as they beat the Cojuangcos, who ran under the NPC, in two key positions.
Amado Espino III beat Mark Cojuangco for the gubernatorial position; and the incumbent governor Amado Espino Jr. beat incumbent representative Kimi Cojuangco in the 5th District. Mark Cojuangco is son of President Aquino’s uncle, businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco. Kimi is Mark’s wife.
Re-electionists and Liberal Party members have emerged victorious in the race: Baby Arenas retained her position representative of the 3rd District while Jesus Celeste of Nationalist People’s Coalition is poised to win in the 1st district.
Re-electionists Pol Bataoil (2nd District, LP) and Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th District, NPC) both ran unopposed.
JDV’s legacy
The De Venecias retained their hold over the 4th District. Outgoing 4th District Rep. Gina de Venecia would be replaced by her son Toff de Venecia who won by a landslide for the post that was also previously occupied by his father, former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.
Tarlac’s Cojuangcos, Yaps
In Tarlac, likewise, same old faces, same old names. The candidates’ surnames are as influential, if not more influential, than the political parties.
The NPC emerged victorious in Tarlac as they won all major positions they ran for: governor, vice governor, and district representative of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd districts.
Incumbent governor Victor Yap and his sister, incumbent 2nd District representative Susan Yap successfully switched positions: Victor as 2nd District representative and Susan as governor.
Another Cojuangco is luckier in Tarlac, it being Cojuangco’s birthplace. Charlie Cojuangco, another Danding’s son, won the province’s 1st district; he replaced his uncle Enrique Cojuangco, who died of aneurysm in November 2015.
Bulacan’s reelectionists
NPC bet Noel Villanueva won his second term as 3rd District representative as he ran unopposed.
Casada David, also from the NPC, won as vice governor against the President’s cousin, Dors Rivilla, and LAKAS’ Pearl Pacada. In Bulacan, LP beats NPC in provincial race.
Re-electionists Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado and Daniel Fernando, both LP candidates, won the race for Bulacan governor and vice governor. Both are gunning for their third and final term.
Sy-Alvarado won by more than 200,000 votes over former governor Josie dela Cruz of NPC. A former actor, Fernando won by more than 500,000 votes against fellow actor Philip Salvador.
All of the winners in the congressional race are re-electionists except for NUP’s Lorna Silverio in the 3rd District. She defeated Josie’s brother, incumbent representative Jonjon Mendoza of the LP.
LP congressional candidates Jose Antonio “Jonathan” Sy-Alvarado and Linabelle Villarica (4th District) won the races in the 1st and 4th districts, respectively. Jonathan is replacing his mother, Marivic. Villarica would be serving her third and last term.
NUP’s Apol Pancho won her second term as 2nd District representative.
Rizal’s Ynareses, Duavits
Rizal remained the family bailiwick of former Gov. Casimiro Ynares Jr. and former Rep. Gilberto Duavit.
Four members of the Ynares clan, all running under NPC, are either leading or have already won their respective races. Ynares’ wife, incumbent Gov. Rebecca “Nini” Ynares, won the gubernatorial race while their son, reelectionist Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares, was proclaimed winner. Both would be on their second term.
Nini’s brothers-in-law, former Binangonan Mayor Cesar Ynares is leading the mayoral race while outgoing three-term Binangonan mayor Boyet Ynares is leading as vice mayor.
LP’s Reynaldo San Juan Jr., outgoing provincial board member, is leading the vice gubernatorial race.
Duavit’s son, incumbent first and second district representatives Jack Duavit, and Isidro Rodriguez Jr., both NPC, won in their respective races. The two are on their third and last term. Chiqui Roa Puno (NPC) is replacing spouse Robbie Puno as Antipolo City’s 1st District Representative.
Both identified with Marcos, old-man Duavit and old-man Ynares have been in control of Rizal since after the 1986 revolution.
Meanwhile, Romeo Acop (LP), who ran unopposed, would be serving his third and final term as representative of Antipolo City’s 2nd District.
Laguna's new faces
Incumbent governor Ramil Hernandez of LP kept control of his position against two Ejercitos: ousted governor ER of UNA and his son, Jeorge Antonio, independent candidate. Hernandez assumed the gubernatorial position in 2014 after ER was ousted for campaign overspending.
Karen Agapay of NP retained her position as vice governor.
All candidates for district representative who won are incumbents, except for LP candidate Arlene Arcillas of the 1st District who was three-term mayor of Santa Rosa City and ran for district representative unopposed.
Unopposed LP candidate Jun Chipeco retained his position in the 2nd District; so did Sol Aragones (3rd District, UNA) and Benjie Agarao (4th District, LP).
Cavite’s Remullas, Revillas, Abayas
Boying Remulla (UNA) was proclaimed winner on May 11. He will replace his brother, outgoing Gov. Jonvic Remulla. The two are children of the late governor, Juanito Remulla, a known Marcos man who switched to the ruling administration after the Edsa revolution.
Nardong Putik’s legacy
Incumbent Vice Gov. Jolo Revilla III was also proclaimed winner. His father, detained Sen. Bong Revilla, is the son of Sen. Ramon Revilla, a former actor known for his blockbuster film “Nardong Putik”, among others.
Jolo’s mother, outgoing 2nd District Rep. Lani Mercado, has switched positions with Jolo’s uncle, Strike Revilla, outgoing Bacoor City mayor. Mercado has now been proclaimed as Bacoor City mayor while Strike Revilla, as 2nd District Rep.
Aguinaldo’s legacy
LP candidate incumbent first district Rep. Boyblue Abaya kept his position. Abaya is brother of Transport Secretary Jun Abaya, descendant of the first president of the first Philippine Republic, Emilio Aguinaldo.
Two other LP candidates, third and sixth district representatives AA Advincula and Luis Ferrer IV, ran unopposed.
Tagaytay’s Tolentinos
Another LP candidate, Bambol Tolentino, brother of former MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino who is running for senator, is leading Cavite’s seventh district congressional race. All four LP candidates are on their second term.
NUP’s Jenny Barzaga is the leading candidate for Cavite’s fourth district representative. If she wins, she will be replacing her husband, Dasmariñas City mayoral candidate Pidi Barzaga.
Meanwhile, Bambol Tolentino’s wife, incumbent Tagaytay City Mayor Agnes Tolentino, is leading the mayoral race. Agnes will be serving her second term if she wins. In 2013, she won the mayoral race against Boying Remulla.
CamSur’s Villafuertes, Andayas
The Villafuertes kept control of the province as Nacionalista Party’s incumbent governor Migz Villafuerte won as governor while father, Lray won as 2nd District Representative, beating Ava Arceño (LP), outgoing representative Dato Arroyo’s anointed successor.
Rolando Andaya Jr. (NPC) retained his position as he won his third and final term as the province’s 1st District Representative. Andaya’s father was also a former congressman and Budget official.
Incumbent 5th district representative Sal Fortuno of LP also retained his position against the Alfelor patriarch Felix “Nancing” Alfelor Jr. by a landslide. Meanwhile, presumptive vice-presidential winner Leni Robredo’s anointed successor, Gabriel Bordado Jr. (LP) won against Villafuerte patriarch Luis Villafuerte in the 3rd district congressional post.
Old-man Fuentebella, too
Former House Speaker Noli Fuentebella of NPC is leading the race for 4th District representative with 83,969 votes against his closest rival, singer Imelda Papin, with 83,229 as of May 12, 5:41 p.m.
LP candidate incumbent vice-mayor Fortunato Peña retained his position after defeating Peachy Alfelor (UNA), Nancing’s daughter.
Sorsogon’s Escuderos
The Escuderos are now into their 30-year reign in the 1st District.
Former provincial administrator and LP candidate Bobet Rodrigueza won the gubernatorial race against independent candidate Rolando Añonuevo. Independent candidate Ester Hamor won against NPC candidate and Chiz Escudero’s uncle Antonio Escudero Jr.
Sen. Chiz Escudero’s mother, Evie Escudero of NPC ran unopposed and won her second term as 1st District representative; she is poised to continue the Escudero family’s control of the district for 30 years now.
Meanwhile, LP’s Ding Ramos topped the race for the 2nd District Representative over PDPLBN bet Eduardo Ong. It would be Ramos’ third and final term.
Justice Davide’s son
LP incumbents beat 1Cebu in most key positions: Gov. Hilario Davide III and vice governor Agnes Magpale won and would serve their third and last term. Davide, son of former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr., defeated former GSIS general manager and 1Cebu’s Winston Garcia.
Gwen Garcia survives
The winners of Cebu’s 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th congressional districts are all incumbents: Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. (NP) in the 1st District; Wilfredo Caminero (LP) in the 2nd District; Gwendolyn Garcia (UNA) in the 3rd District; and Junie Martinez in the 4th District. Martinez would be on his third and final term while the rest on their second term.
Old-rich Duranos
In the 5th District, outgoing Danao City vice mayor Red Durano (NPC) will be replacing his brother Rep. Joseph Ace Durano.
In the 6th and 7th Districts, LP won against 1CEBU bets. Outgoing Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes won against Paulus Cañete in the 6th District; and Peter John Calderon won against PJ Garcia in the newly-formed 7th District.
Cortes switched positions with incumbent representative Gabriel Luis “Luigi” Quisumbing (LP), who won as Mandaue City mayor.
Osmena’s legacy
In Cebu City, incumbent mayor Mike Rama (UNA) lost to Tommy Osmeña (LP), the grandson of the late President Sergio Osmeña. Osmeña regained the position after losing to Rama in 2013. Meanwhile, Rama’s running mate Edgardo Labella (UNA), the incumbent vice mayor, won his third and last term.
The LP also kept control of the Cebu City’s congressional districts: Raul del Mar in the 1st District and Bebot Abellanosa in the 2nd District. Both would be on their second term.
Tacloban’s Romualdez clan
The Romualdez clan retained their control over the mayoral and congressional positions in Leyte’s 1st District.
Yedda (LAKAS) and Cristina (NP), wives of outgoing 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez who are cousins, have been proclaimed winners of the posts previously occupied by their husbands. The Romualdezes have previously expressed support for Jejomar Binay.
For vice mayor, re-electionist Sambo Yaokasin (independent) was proclaimed winner over Ramon Tolibas Jr. of NUP.
Roxas’ Capiz
In Capiz, the bailiwick of Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas, the leading candidates for governor, Antonio del Rosario (outgoing 1st District Rep), and for vice governor, Nonoy Contreras (a re-electionist on his last term), are both LP members.
The leading candidate for congressman in the first district, Tawi Billones (who used to be Roxas’ chief of staff at the DOTC), is also from LP.
In the 2nd District, re-electionist candidate Oto Castro (NUP) ran unopposed for his second term.
Davao’s Dutertes
Davao City’s most prominent politician Rodrigo Duterte has been the emerging victor in the presidential elections.
His children--former mayor Sara Duterte and incumbent vice mayor Paolo Duterte are set to become the mayor and vice mayor of Davao City.
Sara is replacing his father. The siblings ran under the local political party Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.
Speaker Nograles’ son
In the congressional race, former Speaker’s Prospero Nograles’s son Karlo Alexei Nograles (NUP) of the 1st District and Mylene Garcia (LP) of the 2nd District won their third and final terms. In the third district, Alberto Ungab (NP) won to replace his brother, Isidro Ungab, who is on his 3rd and final term.
