29 running for 12 posts in Dumaguete; 64 in Tanjay City

CEBU, Philippines –  A total of 29 candidates for 12 elective positions in Dumaguete City have filed their respective certificate of candidacies after Friday, the last day of the filing period, while in Tanjay City, the field was wide open with a total of 64 aspirants for 12 city government posts.

Dumaguete City election officer Gildu Agoncillo said it appeared that all of the 29 were qualified, and thus no nuisance candidates.

Four of them were candidates for city mayor: Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling Sr of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, lawyer Felipe Antonio Remollo (PDP-Laban), and independents Quirino Ramirez and Mercedarius “Dindo” Generoso.

For vice mayor, it would be a three-cornered fight among Councilor Franklin Esmena Jr. (NPC), Councilor Antonio Johnson “Tony Rems” Remollo (LP) and Nelson Awid Layague (independent).

Among the 22 vying for 10 city councilor seats were: Former vice mayor Alan Gel Cordova, lawyers Joe Kenneth Arbas, Manuel Arbon and Michael Bandal, Agustin Miguel Perdices, Lilani Ramon, and former SK Federation president Karissa Faye Tolentino—all of the Liberal Party.

Candidates from the NPC were: Liga ng mga Barangays president Lionel Banogon, Calindagan barangay chair Manuel Sagarbarria, lawyers Samuel Dicen and Melissa-Erames Tuballa, Peter Catan, Leovigildo Elmaco, Jose Victor Imbo, Danilo Teves Leon, and Manuel Nelson Patrimonio,

Other bets for councilor were independents: Estanislao Alviola, who was the first to file a COC on Monday, former Bajumpandan councilman Reu Ismil, the last who filed his COC on Friday, Pulantubig Barangay Chair Ramil Cornelia, Junob Barangay Chair Isagani Bana, and Poblacion 8 Councilwoman Maelyne Rose Mariano.

Dumaguete City has more than 77,000 registered voters with about 4,000 having no biometrics yet, according to Agoncillo.

In Tanjay City, a total of 10 mayoralty candidates have filed their COCs, five for the vice mayoralty post, and 49 vying for 10 seats in the City Council.

The ten mayoralty candidates were: Vice Mayor Jose “Pepe” Torres Orlino (NUP), former mayor Arturo Salma Regalado (Ind), former vice mayors Neil Teves Salma (LP) and Nilor Rosales Tam (Ind), Councilors Reynaldo Setenta Concepcion (KBL), Steve Solis Teves (Ind), Rolando Rafols Tabaloc (Ind) and Joel Rosales Tam (Ind), Eduardo Reyes Tabaloc (PDP-Laban), and Gegorio Gutib Limatoc (Ind).

Running for vice mayor were: incumbent Mayor Lawrence Solis Teves (NPC). Councilors Uldarico Arroz Ramirez III (NUP) and Juanito Condes (Ind), Ferdinand Buot Jayson (Ind), and lawyer Aldo Amistad Munoz (Ind).

Tanjay City election officer Ian Macaraya said the city has more than 47,000 registered voters.  (FREEMAN)