Presidential candidates do not always win in their home turfs

There was a time when no one could beat an Osmeña in Cebu City and in the old 2nd District, nor would anyone have the guts to run against a Durano in Danao, and in the former 1st District. Times have changed even in presidential elections.

In every election in the past, there had always been predictable results. For instance, we always predicted that whenever anyone with a Marcos name ran for a national office, he or she would win in the corridor called the solid north and in Leyte and Samar. In Davao City, for the longest time, the Dutertes would always win any election. But all these cannot be guaranteed forever.

There was a time when any Osmeña would always win in Cebu City. During the golden years of Serging Osmeña, whoever he endorsed for city mayor and congressman would always prevail. Men like Carlos J. Cuizon, Eulogio Borres, and Ronald Duterte. This was interrupted only when President Marcos declared martial law, and Serging had to flee to the US. But before that happened, Serging ran for president in 1969 with Gener Magsaysay as his vice presidential teammate. Both of them lost with very dismal results. Osmeña even lost in the Province of Cebu.

Last election in 2016, President Duterte won in his home turf, in the city of Davao as well in Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, and in Compostela Valley, which is now called Davao de Oro. Mar Roxas won in Capiz, Jojo Binay won in Makati, but Miriam Santiago lost in Iloilo and Grace Poe lost in San Juan. In the 2010 presidential polls, PNoy won in Tarlac but his cousin Gibo lost there. Erap, for the first time in his life, lost to PNoy in San Juan. Brother Eddie lost to PNoy in Bulacan. In 2004, GMA won in Pampanga, FPJ won in Manila, Lacson won in Cavite, Roco won in Camarines Sur, but Brother Eddie lost to FPJ in Bulacan.

In the 1998 presidential pintakasi Erap won in San Juan, De Venecia won in Pangasinan, Roco won in Camarines Sur, Osmeña won in Cebu, De Villa won in Batangas, Santiago won in Iloilo, Enrile won in Cagayan, but Alfredo Lim lost to Erap in Manila. In 1992, FVR won in Pangasinan, Santiago won in Iloilo, Danding Cojuangco won in Tarlac, Mitra won in Palawan, Imelda won in Leyte, Laurel won in Batangas, but Salonga lost to Erap in his home province of Rizal. In 1986, Cory won in Tarlac and Marcos won in Ilocos Norte. In 1981, Marcos won in Ilocos but his opponent Alejo Santos lost in his home ground, Bulacan.

In 1969, Marcos won in Ilocos but Serging Osmeña lost in Cebu. In 1965, Marcos won in Ilocos, Macapagal won in Pampanga. In 1961, Macapagal won in Pampanga and Garcia won in Bohol. He was from Talibon. In 1957, Garcia won in Bohol. In Negros Occidental, the home of Yulo, he lost to Garcia. The third candidate Manuel Manahan, lost to Yulo in his home province of La Union. The fourth candidate Recto won in Quezon. In 1953, both Magsaysay and Quirino won in their respective turfs, Zambales and Ilocos Sur. The same was true in 1949, for Quirino and Laurel, as well as for Roxas and Osmeña in 1946.

In 1941, Quezon won in Tayabas but his opponent Juan Sumulong lost to Quezon in Rizal. In 1935 the three candidates all won in their respective turfs; Quezon in Tayabas, Aguinaldo in Cavite, and Aglipay in Ilocos Norte. In 2022, we should expect some earth-shaking upheavals of very strange outcomes of the presidential polls. Mark my words.