Barangay Pag-Asa in Kalayaan has new chairman

MANILA, Philippines - Winning by a “landslide” in the barangay elections last Oct. 28, a new chairman was installed in Barangay Pag-Asa in Philippine-held Kalayaan Islands in the disputed Spratlys.

Local officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed retired Air Force soldier Roberto del Mundo as winner last Monday afternoon after he got 61 votes.

Del Mundo’s two rivals Pedro Fajardo got 18 votes and Vicente Milan garnered 14 votes.

Comelec officials were airlifted to the island in West Philippine Sea to proclaim the winners in the barangay elections.

Del Mundo was elected councilor in Kalayaan town for three consecutive terms. Kalayaan belongs to the province of Palawan.

In the last May elections, he ran but lost for vice mayor in the island town that has 98 registered voters out of a population of less than 200.

Del Mundo would take over as village chief in Barangay Pag-Asa.

Former chairman Victoriano Montes did not seek re-election due to health reasons.

As the new village chief, Del Mundo will be working closely with the seven newly elected barangay councilors.

Pag-Asa Island is a former forward military base of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command (Wescom) defending the country’s sovereignty over a regime of islands in the disputed Spratlys.