- MITCH M. LIPA
Ten of the 13 mayors of Negros Occidental under the United Negros Alliance, who have submitted their complete line-ups to the office of the Party Secretary for their Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance in the 2022 polls, are seeking re-election.
These include mayors Marxlen dela Cruz of Don Salvador Benedicto in the first district; Salvador Escalante for Cadiz and Manuel Escalante for Manapla in the second district; Nicholas Yulo of Bago, Jilson Tuvillara of San Enrique, Joemar Alonzo of Pontevedra, and Rex Jalando-on of La Carlota in the fourth district; and Raymund Tongson of Himamaylan, Rhumyla Nicor Mangilimutan of La Castellana, Ella Garcia-Yulo of Moises Padilla, and Alejandro Mirasol of Binalbagan in the fifth district, Unega Secretary General Escalante said.
Mayor Richard Jaojoco of Toboso, who is on his last term and cannot seek reelection, will be replaced by his wife, Madonnah.
Sagay Mayor Alfredo Marañon III will run for congressman, Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva as vice mayor, in place of incumbent Narwin Javelosa, who will gun for the mayor’s post.
Escalante added that as agreed under their coalition with Love Negros, UNegA will give the CONA to JR Malabor, who is planning to challenge reelectionist Isabela Mayor Irene Montilla.
Escalante said he has started affixing his signature in the line-ups of Sagay, Cadiz, and La Carlota since they were the first LGUs to have submitted their lists of candidates.
Every city has 12 candidates and 10 for each municipality. Escalante said he will let the mayors reveal the names of the candidates in their respective line-ups.
Escalante said that after he has signed as secretary-general, he will submit the documents to Mayor Maranon, who is the party provincial chairman, and to Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer as party president.
He added that UNegA and Love Negros formed their coalition last year and will support reelectionists.
For Love Negros, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said they are in the process of finalizing their list of candidates for the election next year. He said the candidates are responsible for their individual CONA and should coordinate first if they have a national party.
The 18 mayors of Negros Occidental, who belong to Love Negros, are also set to submit their line ups to their provincial party leaders. – MML
