Isko reclaims Manila; Nancy prevails in Makati

MANILA, Philippines — Former mayor Isko Moreno is reclaiming his seat in Manila, beating Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna and party-list Rep. Sam Verzosa in the midterm elections.

Moreno won the mayoralty race with 528,521 votes, overwhelming Lacuna’s 190,286 and Verzosa’s 163,821.

Lacuna and Verzosa have conceded.

At yesterday’s canvassing of votes, Moreno vowed to “make Manila great again” with the help of his constituents.

In Makati, Sen. Nancy Binay prevailed in the mayoralty race, defeating her brother-in-law, District 2 Rep. Luis Campos.

Nancy will succeed her sister, three-term Mayor Abby Binay, whose chances in the Senate race seemed dim after landing in the 15th place, based on the Commission on Elections (Comelec)’s partial and unofficial count.

Abby ranked No. 1 in the “embo” barangays, now part of Taguig.

Nancy obtained 114,898 votes, according to the Comelec’s official count, trouncing Campos by 29,000 votes.

“This is a birthday wish granted,” Nancy, who celebrated her 52nd birthday on Monday, said before she was proclaimed at the Makati Coliseum yesterday.

Nancy will become the fifth Binay to hold Makati’s top post.

She said she is willing to meet with Abby “at the right place and time” to discuss the transition of power.

The rift between the Binay siblings heated up days before the elections after Nancy openly accused Campos of driving a wedge between them.

Abby lamented that the campaign turned into a “personal fight” instead of a debate on pressing issues.

Makati District 2 Rep. Kid Peña, Campos’ running mate, won the vice mayoralty race with over 146,000 votes.

Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo will succeed Campos as Makati’s first district representative.

Drawing from her 12-year experience in the Senate, Nancy vowed an “open communication” between her and reelected Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano.

In Mandaluyong, Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos is returning as mayor.

In Muntinlupa, Mayor Ruffy Biazon won a second term as he ran unopposed.

Pasay Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano was reelected.

Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce will hand over the reins to former vice mayor Gerald German.

Vico beats Discaya by a landslide

In Pasig, Mayor Vico Sotto was reelected after garnering 286,897 votes. He defeated businesswoman Sarah Discaya, who got 24,163 votes.

Sotto’s landslide win marks his third and final term as Pasig mayor.

Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski also retained his seat with 237,117 votes.

Discaya’s running mate, Iyo Caruncho Bernardo, received 58,841 votes.

Zamora gets fresh term

In San Juan, Mayor Francis Zamora won his third and final term with 57,998 votes against former mayor Philip Cezar, who received 8,340 votes.

Vice Mayor Angelo Agcaoili was reelected after garnering 36,911 votes against Candy Crisologo’s 14,147.

Rep. Bel Zamora also won a second term with 44,545 votes against Jana Ejercito’s 22,403.

Camanava mayors reelected

In Caloocan, Mayor Along Malapitan was proclaimed the winner after garnering 266,372 votes, defeating former senator Antonio Trillanes IV who obtained 175,291 votes.

Malapitan’s running mate, Vice Mayor Karina Teh, was also reelected.

In Malabon, Mayor Jeannie Sandoval secured a second term with 120,757 votes.

Her opponent, former representative Jaye Lacson-Noel, got 65,496 votes.

Sandoval’s running mate, Edward Nolasco, won the vice mayoralty race with 73,302 votes, beating actress Angelika de la Cruz, Jap Garcia and Dado Cunana.

In Navotas, Mayor John Rey Tiangco was proclaimed winner after running unopposed with 116,582 votes.

His running mate, Vice Mayor Tito Sanchez, also ran unchallenged and got 107,587 votes.

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco was reelected to Congress with 113,099 votes, defeating challenger Tony Ibanez.

Toby served as the campaign manager of Alyansa senatorial candidates.

In Valenzuela, Mayor Wes Gatchalian was reelected for a second term after receiving 295,876 votes, running unopposed.

His running mate, Marlon Alejandrino, won as vice mayor with 244,708 votes.

In the congressional races, Kenneth Gatchalian won in Valenzuela’s District 1 with 80,410 votes, edging out Tony Espiritu with 79,629 votes.

In District 2, independent candidate and incumbent Councilor Gerald Galang won with 95,878 votes, beating Kat Martinez, who got 80,490 votes.

Cynthia defeated

Meanwhile, Las Piñas congressman-elect Mark Santos said he won against Sen. Cynthia Villar through diligence and perseverance.

“I think the record will show that this is the first time that the city’s representative was changed,” Santos told “Storycon” on One News yesterday.

His victory marks the first time since 1992 that a Villar will not represent Las Piñas in Congress.

Santos, an independent candidate, garnered 115,757 votes while Villar got 83,975.

Santos has been in the Villars’ crosshairs even before the campaign began, after he authored a resolution in 2023 demanding the Villar Group of Companies pay over P213 million worth of delinquent real property taxes.

Continuing the onsite relocation of informal settlers is Santos’ primary goal once he assumes office.

“We will push for a pambansang pabahay program. We have 20,000 informal settlers in Las Piñas who were sent to Cavite in a danger zone. I intend to ask for a bigger budget,” he said. — Mark Ernest Villeza, Delon Porcalla, Emmanuel Tupas, Jose Rodel Clapano