BOPK shuts out Kusug in all city electoral races - Cebu Circle | Cebu City, Philippines

Post Top Ad

Thursday, May 13, 2010

BOPK shuts out Kusug in all city electoral races

05/13/2010 - ALMOST two days after the polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) finally proclaimed all the candidates of Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) for local elective positions in Cebu City as winners in this year’s elections.

BOPK supporters, clad in yellow and blue shirts, filled the canvassing area yesterday to cheer and congratulate the winning candidates.

Lawyer Edwin Cadungog, South district election officer and Board of Canvassers chairman, declared yesterday all the BO-PK candidates winners.

Incumbent Vice Mayor Michael Rama, who obtained 210,520 votes, was declared the duly-elected mayor of Cebu City while Augustus “Joy” Young, who got 226,736 votes, was proclamed the duly-elected vice mayor.

In the congressional race in Cebu City’s north district, Rachel Marguerite “Cutie” del Mar was proclaimed winner with 98,501 votes.

In the south district, incumbent Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña was declared winner for the congressional seat.

For city councilors in the North district, declared winners were lawyer Edgardo Labella, 105,338 votes; Augustus Pe Jr., 97,546; Alvin Arcilla, - 91,096, Sisinio Andales, 85,880; Lea Japson, 84,615;Alvin Dizon, 82,274; Noel Wenceslao, 79,247; and Ma. Nida Cabrera, 77,018.

In the city’s south district, the proclaimed winners were Rodrigo Abellanosa, 137,676; Margarita Osmeña, 126,765; Eduardo Rama Jr., 121,340; Jose Daluz, 114,603; Raul Alcoseba, 113,370; Ronald Cuenco, 102,743; Richard Osmeña, 97,274; and Roberto Cabarrubias, 95,668.

Only 99 percent of the total votes cast were canvassed because one memory card in barangay Capitol site, cluster precinct no. 056 which has 998 voters, was empty when it was brought to the canvassing center, said North election officer assistant, Omar Sharif Manalinta.

Manalinta said in order to include the votes of the cluster precinct they should be manually counted.

“Pero murag di naman langto i-count kay lagyo man kaayo og labaw. But it they ask us to count it, ato himuon, ” Manalinta said.

During the proclamation inside the Social Hall of the City Hall, hundreds of family members and friends of the candidates and some City Hall employees cheered and chanted each time a candidate was proclaimed.

After the proclamation, Rama said he would focus on road asphalting, street lighting, peace and order and garbage collection during his first 100 days in office.

Rama thanked Cebuanos saying the straight BO-PK victory was an “imprimatur of confidence in the BO-PK leadership.”

Former mayor Alvin Garcia conceded defeat and announced he was stepping down as head of the opposition Kusug party.

“This is the last you’ll see of me,” he said in a press conference at his residence in Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City.

“No election is perfect even if we strive very hard for one,” and congratulated Rama and his slate.

Garcia asked his supporters to unite under Rama to make the city progressive as it once was.

Gacia said he took full responsibility for Kusug’s loss and they lacked resources to wage a city-wide campaign.

Garcia said Kusug would remain an opposition force but would cooperate and help Rama if asked to develop the city.

In stepping down, he urged younger leaders of the party like Mary Ann delos Santos, Jonathan Guardo, his son Raymund, Joel Garganera and others to carry the torch of Kusug.

“They will now be responsible to direct a new course for Kusog, recast its platform, advocacies, and plans, recruit new members and whatever else is needed to revitalize the party,” said Garcia.

Garcia said he was retiring from politics knowing he initiatives can still be seen like the Waterfront Development Project, Cebu IT growth.

“I will not totally fade away into the sunset even though the shadows are lengthening for me. I will still be available for consultation and advice,” he said.

For her part, Delos Santos, who lost to Cutie del Mar, said there was massive disenfranchisement of voters because the first-come, first-serve rule was not observed in the precincts.

Priority numbers were given to their opponents’ supporters , she said.

Congressional candidate Jonathan Guardo also conceded defeat to Tomas Osmeña .
“Gusto ko happy ka,” he said, a takeoff from his campaign theme “Gusto ko, healthy”, a dig at Osmeña’s health condition. (CebuDailyNews)

1 comment:

Post Top Ad