SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – If the party affiliations of the winners in the mayoral race were to be the gauge, Pampanga is still Arroyo country.
Figures from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) indicated that of 19 towns and three cities, 12 mayoral candidates from the local party Kapanalig at Kambilan Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan) won.
The Kambilan is associated with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and is headed by her close ally, incumbent Gov. Lilia Pineda, who won by a landslide over her rival, Ed Panlilio of the Liberal Party (LP).
Only four LP candidates made it in the mayoral race. Arroyo, who sought re-election under the Lakas party as congresswoman in the second district, was also expected to win by a landslide over LP’s Vivian Dabu.
During her term as president, Pampanga was dubbed GMA country as her father hailed from Lubao town in the second district.
Some of the winners in the mayoral race have been proclaimed, while others are leading by wide margins over their closest rivals.
The Kambilan party mayoral winners are Jun Tetangco of Apalit, Eddie Guerrero of Floridablanca, Mylyn Cayabyab of Lubao, Marino Morales of Mabalacat City, Anette Balgan of Macabebe, Romy Pecson of Magalang, Carling dela Cruz of Porac, Asiong Macapagal of San Luis, Rommel Concepcion of Sta. Ana, Yolly Pineda of Sta. Rita, Lito Naguit of Sto. Tomas, and Leonora Wong of San Simon.
Five of them – Cayabyab, Pineda, Balgan, Tetangco, and Dela Cruz – were unopposed.