CEBU, Philippines — At least four newly elected and re-elected members of the Cebu City Council proved that limiting their expenditures from P40,000 to P80,000 would not prevent them from winning in the recent polls.
In their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), City Councilors Eugenio Gabuya, Jr. spent the least in the last elections at P41,866.51; followed by the number one City Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros who spent P50,291.37; Renato Osmeña just spent P65,464.66; and City Councilor David Tumulak shelled out P80,616.
Of the four, only Tumulak declared P15,000 in-kind contribution for his advertisement in radio while the others stated that they have not received any contributions.
Among the 16 incoming City Councilors, Councilor Antonio Cuenco was the top spender at P411,565.30 which is mostly spent in printing campaign materials, advertisements, and travel expenses, and among others.
Cuenco is followed by Councilor-Elect Prisca Niña Mabatid who did not spend a single peso from her pocket but she received in-kind contribution from her company, Pinoy Care at P404,236.04 to fund printing, distribution of campaign materials, food, among others.
Reelected Councilor Eduardo Rama, Jr. came in third by spending P325,175.17 followed by re-elected Councilor Joy Augustus Young who spent P174,793.39. Councilor Lea Japson spent P169,433.07; Councilor Nestor Archival spent P157,794.32; Councilor Alvin Dizon used P153,680; Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia spent P141,000; Councilor Phillip Zafra spent P113,476.49, while Councilor Raul Alcoseba disbursed P107,006.
The two councilors, Alvin Arcilla and Sisinio Andales, whose candidacy are cancelled by the Commission on Elections, spent P106,109 and P230,152.83, respectively.
Should Arcilla and Andales be delisted from the winners, Councilors Jerry Guardo who spent P148,000 and Joel Garganera who spent P305,251.82 including the P25,600 in-kind contribution will replace them in the City Council.
Meanwhile, re-elected Congressmen Raul del Mar and Rodrigo Abellanosa still emerged as winners despite spending less compared to the combined expenses of their opponents, Richard Edison Yap and outgoing Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera.
Del Mar spent P644,714.67 while Abellanosa spent P460,500. Both did not declare any contributions.
On the other hand, Pesquera spent P834,697.62 including cash and in-kind donations, while Yap spent P554,959.02 without contributions. —/GAN (FREEMAN)