By BenCyrus G. Ellorin
CAGAYAN DE ORO/ March 3, 2010 – Cagayan de Oro, the capital of one of the most economically vibrant regions in the country, Northern Mindanao is an important arena in elections, with 280,025 voters. As regional hub, it politics has influence reach to other provinces in the region, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte and Camiguin.
If elections will be held tomorrow, it would be Manny Villar edging pardoned plunderer Erap Estrada.
In the mayoral race, Klarex Uy will edge out absentee Vice Mayor Dongkoy Emano. But Berchman Abejuela of LP cannot be counted out. After all, he may come out strong as Dongkoy and Klarex kill each other.
In the congressional race in District 2, Rufus is a sure winner. What may be interesting to watch is the entry of the second Rodriguez — Maximo in the next Congress through Abante Mindanao.
In the Party List, aside from Abamin, it would be the billionaire cooperative FICCO-supported Ating Koop, incumbents Bayan Muna, Anak Mindanao (AMIN), and NATCCO getting decent number of votes.
AMIN’s incumbent second representative is the Executive Director of the Cagayan de Oro-based Balay Mindanaw Ariel Hernandez.
In District 1, there will be no losers only the cheated.
In the presidential race, it will be Manny Villar over Estrada. Estrada is still strong in the City as he has the machinery of Rufus Rodriguez and Dongkoy Emano.
Traditionally, Cagayan de Oro is the battle ground of Dongkoy’s PaDayon and former mayor and Senator Nene Pimentel’s PDP-Laban. But in this election, Pimentel had abandoned PDP-Laban and betted heavily on Manny Villar, whose Nacionalista Party has Atty. Gwen Pimentel in its Senatorial line-up.
Even PDP-Laban incumbents in the City Council had sided with Lakas bet Klarex Uy who would officially support Gibo Teodoro for president. But believe you me, not all of Klarex’s votes, will go to Gibo. A substantial portion of it would go to Villar.
An astute politician, Dongkoy Emano is betting on two presidential candidates, Erap and Manny Villar. While in the city he is supporting on paper his mahjong and poker playmate Erap Estrada, his son, Bambi Emano, incumbent Representative of Misamis Oriental District 1 is pouring all his political luck with a Villar presidency.
Even without a Nacionalista slate in the local fight, Villar’s machinery, the Samahang Manny Villar, which has been organizing since the 2004 and 2007 elections, is silent but efficient in grassroots campaigning.
The other frontrunner whose only assets are his parents and celebrity sister won’t fare as well in the city. For Noynoy to perform well in the city, the support from organized groups must be converted into votes. But he cannot count on the votes of civil society organizations like the Black and White movement whose leaders have declared support to Villar. Although he would gain some middle class votes, Oro’s middle class votes I believe will be divided among Nicanor Perlas, an alumnus of Xavier University, Eddie Villanueva who has a throng of Jesus is Lord followers in the City and even Ang Kapatiran’s JC de los Reyes who has Cagayanon Manny Valdehuesa in his Senate slate.
The Phil Presidential 2010 election looks to be the hottest issue nowadays, lot of survey outcome from many surveys are come-up to know the standing of the presidentiables, and it seems to be a tight fight between noynoy aquino and manny villar. One Political party can make Black propaganda against opposing candidate to hurt one’s ranking. One of the newest is “Villaroyo Dirty Tactics”.