51 aspirants in Cebu compete for 24 Capitol, congressional seats

CEBU, Philippines — There are 51 candidates for congressman, governor, vice governor and provincial board members in the Province of Cebu in the 2022 elections.

Based on the certified list of candidates released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), five aspirants filed their certificates of candidacy for governor.

These include incumbent Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of PDP-Laban/One Cebu, former tourism secretary Joseph Felix “Ace” Durano of Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago (PPP), Martin Lozada of Abag Promdi, and independent candidates Nito Magnanao and Pablo Olmedo.

For the vice governor, three are competing for the position in next year’s poll: incumbent Vice Governor Hilario Davide III of Liberal Party, John Enad of Abag Promdi and Maria Theresa Heyrosa of One Cebu.

For the members of Sangguniang Panlalawigan, 14 seats are needed to be filled in 2022 elections since there are two board members for each of the seven districts in the province.

In the first district, five are vying for the board member positions. These include incumbents Raul Bacaltos and Yolanda Daan of the Nacionalista Party; Ron Del Mar of Promdi and independent candidates Simplicio Danatil and Roger Cimafranca.

In the second district, five aspirants filed their COCs vying for provincial board members. They are Raymond Calderon of National Unity Party (NUP)/One Cebu; former Argao mayor Stanley Caminero who is running as independent candidate; former DENR-7 regional director Isabelo Montejo of Partido Para sa Demokratikong Reporma; Robert Tambis of One Cebu and Joseph Verano as independent candidate.

For the third district, competing for board members are Emmanuel Gumba and Romeo Gimenez of Abag Promdi and incumbents John Ismael Borgonia of One Cebu and independent Victoria “Tata” Corominas – Toribio.

In the fourth district, Jose Brainard Mayol and Nelson Mondigo of PPP and incumbents Kerrie Shimura and Raci Franco of NUP/One Cebu filed their COCs.

In the fifth district, another four aspirants have submitted their COcs before the Comelec. They are Jed Almendras and Jude Thaddeus Sybico of Bakud Party and incumbent Red Duterte and Mike Villamor of One Cebu.

In the sixth district, competing for board members are Frederico Garcia (independent), incumbents Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano and Glenn Anthony Soco, both of PDP-Laban/One Cebu.

In the seventh district, incumbent board member Jerome Librando of Nationalist People’s Coalition/One Cebu and former Dumanjug mayor Cesar Baricuatro of PDP-Laban/One Cebu are the only ones who filed their COCs.

For the House of Representatives, seven congressional seats are needed to be filled in the coming elections.

For the first district, the lone aspirant, Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas of Nacionalista Party filed his COC on the first day of filing on October 1.

For the second district, board members Edsel Galeos of PDP-Laban and Jose Mari “Tata” Salvador of National Unity Party (not One Cebu as previously reported) and Leony Gregremosa of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas will be competing for the congressional seat.

In the third district, incumbent Congressman Pablo John “PJ” Garcia of NUP/One Cebu will be challenged by Anthony Pono of Abag Promdi.

In the fourth district, three-way fight is expected in next year’s elections as incumbent Congresswoman Janice Salimbangon of NUP will be challenged by ex-officio board member Celestino “Tining” Martinez III and independent aspirant Salvador Cariaga.

In the fifth district, another round for congressional seat will happen between incumbent Congressman Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco of NUP and Red Durano of Bakud Party.

In the sixth district, five are competing for Congress seat. They are Daphne Lagon of Lakas-CMD, Martin Adelino Sitoy of PPP, Ruben Talaboc of Promdi and indepedents Jaydar Medrozo and Guillermo Sitoy.

In the seventh district, only incumbent Congressman Peter John Calderon filed his COC.  —  GMR (FREEMAN)