And just like that, election day has passed and, as far as Metro Manila is concerned, the votes are all counted and the winners now proclaimed. Considering how long the campaign season has been, (not even counting the pre-campaign period “movements” being done by many candidates) it is ironic that election season in the metropolis is now over just after a day or two.
After the heated election season, the metropolis’ 17 political units now have their leaders who will serve for the next 3 years. Some leaders managed to retain their posts, while other units saw different faces taking the helm this election, though not necessarily new. Today, we shall be looking at the victors of the 2016 elections in Metro Manila for this special Roamer’s Roundup.
MANILA
It was a heated and bitter campaign and a close fight in the votes. But in the end, the incumbent mayor in the person of ousted president Joseph Ejercito Estrada managed to survive and get a fresh mandate, having successfully managed to defeat his bitter rivals, former Manila 5th District Representative Amado Bagatsing and, most especially, the former mayor of the city Alfredo Lim.
Lim was considered the greater threat to Estrada’s stay at Maharnilad. In fact, some surveys show Lim to be the favored candidate to win. But then a week or so before election day, Lim made a terrible blunder of ditching his vice mayor Atong Asilo in favor of the more popular vice mayoralty candidate and one-time rival Ali Atienza. For not a few Manileños, what Lim did was an act of betrayal. It’s hard to say whether Lim’s loss was due largely to this incident, but there is no doubt it somehow played a factor. And heck, Atienza suffered as well as he lost to Estrada’s running mate Honey Lacuna for the post of vice mayor.
Moral lesson here: avoid betraying your running mate outright, especially during the campaign period. Come to think of it, this should have been a no-brainer, right?
MAKATI
Two words: Binay’s back!
After being out of the Makati City Hall for quite some time, (less than a year by June 30) the Binay machinery is making a comeback after handing incumbent Mayor Romulo Peña his defeat which would have given him a fresh mandate to lead city after assuming office due to the suspension of his predecessor Junjun Binay.
The beneficiary of this Binay victory is Junjun Binay’s sister Abigail Binay-Campos, the incumbent/outgoing representative of the city’s 2nd District. And this victory just cements the fact that despite all the controversies surrounding this family, Makati still generally loves them Binays.
This election victory not only benefited the Binay daughter. It also benefited her husband, Luis Campos who won and replaced his wife as representative of the aforementioned 2nd district.
SAN JUAN
As Joseph Estrada was fortunate to gain a narrow victory in Manila, his family’s hold in San Juan was fortunate as well to have survived this election as well.
After a bitter split and a heated campaign season, the rivalry between the Ejercito-Estradas and the Zamoras ended with a slim victory for the Ejercito-Estrada group with incumbent mayor Guia Gomez prevailing over her rival Francis Zamora with a slim margin.
Aside from Gomez, another member of the family that got elected was Janella Ejercito-Estrada, daughter of detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and granddaughter of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who won the vice mayoralty seat in the city.
If there’s any consolation though, Francis Zamora’s father, Ronaldo Zamora, managed to keep his seat in the House of Representatives, warding off the challenged posed by another member of the Ejercito-Estrada clan, Jana Ejercito.
MUNTINLUPA
One area I did not know had a fiercely contested election was at Muntinlupa, particularly the fight between the incumbent mayor Jaime Fresnedi and former mayor Aldrin San Pedro. In fact, during the counting of votes up to the proclamation, there was a clash between the supporters of the two candidates, each claiming their candidate won.
Mga supporter ni Ex Muntinlupa Mayor San Pedro nagprotesta sa harap ng City Hall sa harap ng akusasyon ng dayaan. pic.twitter.com/IAEUnknTiM
— Abner Mercado (@AbnerMercado) May 9, 2016
In the end, Fresnedi was able to retain his seat as Muntinlupa city mayor, with a commanding lead over San Pedro. San Pedro’s camp, however, claim the votes were rigged in Fresnedi’s favor.
CALOOCAN
Another hotly contested area in the metropolis was Caloocan. Just like in Muntinlupa, it was a battle between the incumbent mayor in the person of Oscar Malapitan and the former mayor in the person of Enrico Echiverri.
As was in the case in Muntinlupa as well, the incumbent was the one who got the electorate’s mandate, though fortunately there was no violence involved. Echiverri however claimed that there was rampant vote buying involved which contributed to his loss.
MARIKINA
Incumbent mayor Del De Guzman faced off against the incumbent representative of Marikina’s first district Marcelino Teodoro. Unfortunately for De Guzman, he was not able to keep his post as majority of the Marikeño voters went with Teodoro to be their next mayor.
Interestingly, Teodoro’s successor in the House of Representatives would be the city’s beloved former mayor, Bayani Fernando.
PASAY
Incumbent Mayor Antonio Calixto retained his seat as city mayor of Pasay, handily defeating rivals including the former representative Dr. Lito Roxas and another guy also named Lito Roxas. Hm.
PATEROS
The incumbent mayor is on his last term, so this election was one fought by new faces. In a mayoralty race which also included a former beauty queen, the victor of the race is someone who previously ran and lost 2 times as mayor, Miguel Ponce III.
VALENZUELA
Incumbent mayor Rex Gatchalian managed to keep his post as city mayor, warding off the challenge of former mayor Magtanggol Gunigundo.
MALABON
Incumbent Mayor Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta III managed to win against Jaye Lacson-Noel for the mayoralty post of Malabon.
PARAÑAQUE
Incumbent Mayor Edwin Olivarez ran and won unopposed.
QUEZON CITY
Incumbent Mayor Herbert Bautista ran and won virtually unopposed over his rivals who were independent bets.
NAVOTAS
Incumbent Mayor John Rey Tiangco ran and won unopposed.
MANDALUYONG
The wife of the incumbent mayor Benhur Abalos, Carmelita Abalos won the mayoralty race in the city.
TAGUIG
Incumbent mayor and wife of vice presidential bet Alan Peter Cayetano, Laarni Cayetano ran and won unopposed.
LAS PIÑAS
Incumbent Mayor Imelda Aguilar ran and won virtually unopposed over his rivals who were independent bets.
PASIG
Former mayor Robert “Bobby” Eusebio made a successful comeback as city mayor, running and winning virtually unopposed vs. an independent rival. He will be succeeding his wife Maribel who served as city mayor for 3 years.
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To the newly-elected officials of Metro Manila, congratulations and may you keep your promises of serving the people. Change is coming, you know.
