Eleven such executives, out of the 27 towns and five cities in this province, have launched the candidacies of their respective husbands, wives or close relatives for the posts they are vacating.
In the race for governor, Gov. Aurelio Umali launched the candidacy of his wife, Rep. Czarina Umali (LP). The out-going governor himself is running for the post to be vacated by his wife as representative of the 3rd district of the province.
Rep. Umali is challenged by ex-Rep. Rodolfo Antonino (UNA) whose daughter, Megan, guns for re-election as representative of the 4th district, a post he held for three terms until the 2013 elections.
Gov. Umali is opposed by neophyte Ria Vergara (NPC), wife of re-electionist Cabanatuan Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara. Umali and Mayor Vergara both belong to the ruling party.
In the 2nd district, outgoing Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago has fielded his wife, Mikki (LP), to take his place. She is opposed by Lito Violago (NP), a brother of the congressman. The 2nd district was represented in the Lower House for several years by the late patriarch, Eleuterio.
In San Jose City, outgoing Mayor Marivic Violago-Belena, a daughter of the late congressman, has desired her husband, ex-mayor Alexander, to succeed her. But he is opposed by Kokoy Salvador (NPC), brother-in-law of Joseph. Other graduating mayors who fielded a namesake to take their post are those in Llanera, Jaen, Sto. Domingo, Sta. Rosa, Cuyapo, Licab, San Leonardo, and Gen. Natividad towns.
An interesting political rigodon is happening again in the mayorship of Aliaga town. Incumbent Mayor Elizabeth Vargas gave way to her husband, ex-mayor Marcial, for the post, and agreed to be his running mate for the vice mayor’s post. They have alternated ruling the town for the last 22 years.
For tandem of namesakes, they include Alvarez-Alvarez for the Science City of Muñoz, Austria-Austria of Jaen, Santos- Santos of Gen. Natividad, Bote-Bote of Gen. Tinio, and Joson-Joson of Quezon Closely watched fight is that of Gov. Umali and Ria Vergara for representative of the 3rd district. Umali and Ria’s husband mayor Julius Cesar were former close allies under the ruling party. They had a falling out right after the last elections when the mayor moved to elevate this city to highly-urbanized status which the governor vehemently opposed.
Although mayor Vergara secured a presidential proclamation for this city’s elevation to a highly-urbanizing city, Umali succeeded in virtually thwarting the holding of a referendum that involves only the voters of this city.
The Supreme Court, siding with the arguments of the governor, ruled that the voters in the entire province should participate in the referendum and that the city government should defray the referendum’s expenses. Up to this day, the referendum is on hold.
Cabanatuan City has a little over 219,000 voters which number is almost equivalent to the combined total registered voters in the rest of the five towns and one city in the Umali-Vergara contested congressional district.
