Ogena, party mates TAKES MAJORITY SEATS in Koronadal
The PDP-Laban party took majority of the seats in the City of Koronadal in the recent May 9, 2022 Elections.
Re-electionist Koronadal City Mayor Eliordo U. Ogena and six (6) of his City Councilors were among those who were proclaimed winners by the Koronadal City Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday evening, May 10.
Based on the Comelec data, incumbent City Mayor Ogena, who amassed 59,773 votes, is set to serve his second term after defeating his rival candidate, first termer City Councilor Mylene Bascon-De Guzman of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), who mustered 39,479 votes. PFP is the political party of leading presidential candidate former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
Despite his victory, Mayor Ogena was not completely happy after his party mates in the provincial level failed to win this year’s polls.
In a video posted on Eliordo Bebot Ogena’s Facebook page, Ogena took the opportunity to acknowledge and thank his provincial party mates for their unwavering support for him and his city party mates.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my party mates; to Inday Daisy Avance-Fuentes, Vic De Jesus and Board Members and especially to our hardworking Deputy Speaker Congressman Ferdinand Hernandez. Maraming salamat”, Ogena remarked.
Meanwhile, former third-termer City Councilor and independent candidate Erlinda Pabi-Araquil had won the City Vice Mayoralty post beating the outgoing City Councilor Edwin Abris. Araquil, who is an adopted candidate of PDP-Laban, garnered 51,673 while Abris had 45,189 votes. She came back to the political arena after having experienced defeat in the vice mayoralty race in the 2019 elections.
Two (2) outgoing Provincial Board Members, three (3) neophyte candidates and one (1) incumbent City Councilor under Ogena’s PDP-Laban slate were lucky to be joining the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of the City of Koronadal.
Outgoing South Cotabato Board Members Ma. Ester Marin-Catorce took the top spot with 58,064 votes and Grace Subere-Albios on the 7th spot with 43,846 votes. Newcomers Sharmaigne Arianne Sala who got 56,555 votes; Eina Jumilla with 47,517 votes; and Chow Rodriguez who garnered 41,602 votes are also set to join the SP-Korondal. Sala, Jumilla and Rodriguez have secured the 2nd, 4th and 9th spots respectively. Incumbent Councilor Bernardo Hinay took the third spot with 48,546 votes.
On the otherhand, the returning City Councilor Mark Lapidez seized the fifth spot with 56,882 votes. Three other incumbent SP Members will still remain in their positions. They are composed of Handell Dee Cadellino-Cubilo who got the sixth spot garnering 44,033 votes; Francis Ross Dideles who secured the eighth spot with 43,268 votes and Annabelle Pingoy on the tenth spot with 40,941 votes. Lapidez, Cubilo, Dideles and Pingoy are registered under the PFP.
Just like other winning candidates, Mayor Ogena took to social media platforms to express his gratitude to all his supporters for their continuous support.
“From the bottom of my heart, ako’y talagang nagpapasalamat sa inyong hangarin na ako ay maproktehan ng ating mahal ng Panginoon at sa inyong desire na makapagpatuloy pa magsilbi sa mga mamamayan dito sa Koronadal. Madamo gid nga salamat sa tanan. I could not thank all of you, napakarami ninyo na nagsakripisyo dito.”
Finally, Ogena encouraged everyone to move on now that the elections were over. According to him, politics is just a [45-day] campaign after which everything returns to normal.
“Let’s move on, let’s work together because if we are really matured leaders, after the electoral contest, we must go back to work and get our acts together because together we are stronger. I stand for a stronger Koronadal City and stronger Province of South Cotabato”, Ogena said in closing.