Ormoc elects ‘hotties’ as mayor, vice mayor

CEBU, Philippines - Dubbed by netizens as “Team Gwapo” and “Ormoc Hotties,” actor Richard Gomez and running mate Leo Carmelo “Toto Jr.” Locsin of Ormoc Development Team recently put the city on the map after winning the elections for mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

 After a netizen’s post about Ormoc’s good looking tandem went viral, Gomez and Locsin have won the hearts of the cyber community and the Ormocanons. Ormoc residents, however, said they voted for Gomez and Locsin not because of their good looks, but because they believe in them.

Gomez is known to Filipinos as an award-winning actor and athlete. This year, he was awarded “Aning Dangal” by the National Commission on Culture and Arts in the field of cinema. He is also the current president of the Philippine Fencing Association.

He earned 52.4 percent of the votes and has won by a margin of 8,700 votes, the highest margin ever for mayor, against outgoing Mayor Edward Codilla to avenge his defeat to the latter in 2013.

In contrast to Gomez’s personality, his vice mayor is shy. In fact, he spoke very short during the campaign. Locsin, however, is no stranger to politics being born to one of the city’s political families. His parents, Carmelo Locsin Sr. and Victoria Larrazabal-Locsin, both served as mayors of Ormoc and were also members of Congress.

During his father’s term as mayor in 2001-2004, the younger Locsin was the head of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council.

Both Gomez and Locsin are passionate anti-drug advocates. The Ormoc Development Team openly supports presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte’s fight to end the drug menace in the country.

In an interview with ABS-CBN Gomez said: “I will do my best and I will work hard to make Ormoc City great so we can be proud of it.” (FREEMAN)