Team Rama beats BOPK in ABC polls

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s bets clinched an overwhelming win in yesterday’s Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) elections against candidates of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), the group of former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Tisa barangay captain Phillip Zafra won the presidency with 54 votes over Capitol Site barangay captain Manuel Guanzon who got 22 votes. Guanzon is the outgoing ABC vice president.

For vice president, Tinago Barangay Captain Joel Garganera got 49 votes over Pahina San Nicolas barangay captain Antonio Caruzca who got 27 votes.

For auditor, Punta Princesa barangay captain Jose Navarro won with 51 votes over Cogon Ramos barangay captain who earned 21 votes.

The newly-elected Board Members are Ramil Ayuman (Apas) with 54 votes, Elvis Narra (Adlaon) with 52 votes, Wilson Bacor (Binaliw) with 51 votes, Althea Lim (Poblacion Pardo) with 50 votes, Lutherlee “Lotlot” Ignacio-Soon (Inayawan) with 48 votes, Noli Anne Alcover (Agsungot) and Lidiore “Boy” Miranda (San Roque) with 46 votes each, Dante Tabucal (Sudlon 1) with 45 votes, Yolandito “Dodong” Cagang (Basak Pardo), and Pancoy Espares (Quiot) with 44 votes.

Only three of the 80 barangay captains in the city did not cast their ballots – Felix Limotan of Sirao, Jovito Taborada Jr. of Lahug, and Carmilo Yap of Kalubihan.

Zafra said they only expected 42 votes considering that there are 38 barangay captains identified with BOPK, but as election results would subsequently show, at least 11 of them had cast their ballots in favor of Zafra and the Team Rama slate.

The 11 votes, Zafra said, might have come from the 13 newly-elected barangay officials that Rama had are not too critical of his administration.

“Dako ang akong kalipay kay naa ta’y onse kabuok nga nakauyon sad diay sa atong katuyuan ug nisuporta nato (I am very happy because there are 11 who sympathize with our objectives and have supported us),” Zafra said.

Zafra attributed Team Rama’s victory to their diligent campaign sorties in all 80 barangays.

Zafra, it can be said, is no stranger to public service. Before he became barangay captain, he spent 15 years at City Hall as executive assistant to then city councilor Procopio Fernandez and eventually as Rama’s chief of staff.

With his victory in the ABC, he will sit as ex-officio member of the City Council, adding one more vote to the Team Rama cluster composed of Councilors Mary Ann Delos Santos, Hanz Abella, Dave Tumulak and James Cuenco.

Zafra said he will pay close attention to the city’s drainage and garbage problems and in improving health services in the barangay level.

“Nakita man gyud nato ang suliran sa syudad, ang problema sa drainage, basura so ato ng suportahan. Ang problema sa Cebu City Medical Center nga halos di maka-cater sa tanan tungod sa nahitabo sa edipisyo (We’ve seen what the problems of the city are… problems on drainage and garbage so we will support initiatives to solve these. We’ve also seen the inability of the Cebu City Medical Center to cater to all patients properly, especially with what happened to its building),” Zafra said.

CCMC was declared unfit for use after it incurred substantial damage when the magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Central Visayas last October 15.

Delay

Yesterday’s elections got delayed for five hours owing to supposed “discrepancies.”

It was supposed to start at 9 a.m., but the ABC election committee announced that it could not conduct the elections because some barangay captains allegedly failed to avail of the “certificate of voter’s credentials” from the credential committee.

Lorega San Miguel Barangay Captain Fretgerald Herrera, member of the election committee, had said that barangay officials without the certificate could not cast their ballot or could be voted for.

“Di hatagan og balota ang wala’y certificate – it is in accordance with  by laws – in exchange of  ballots (Under  by laws, those without the certificate can’t be given ballots),” said Atty. Danilo Almendras of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

By 1 p.m., the DILG finally decided that all elected officials were eligible to vote, even those without the certificate.

“The board (election committee) has decided to include in the list the barangay captains without their voter’s credentials shall be allowed and be given a ballot and they can be voted upon,” Almendras said.

He said those who want to question the decision can raise their objection before the regional and/or national leagues of the ABC.

The polls started by 2 p.m. and the winners were proclaimed at past 5 p.m. -/JMO (FREEMAN)