CABANATUAN CITY — Reeling from the effect of low prices of agricultural products, Nueva Ecija will be represented in the 18th Congress by four women, most of them reelected members of the PDP Laban.
All four districts of the province are now represented by women: the 1st by Estrellita Suansing, the 2nd by Micaela Violago, the 3rd by Rosanna Vergara – all re-elected to their second term – and the 4th by Dr. Maricel Nagaño, who dislodged incumbent Magnolia Antonino.
Suansing won over movie actor Rommel Padilla despite the high profile campaign with his popular son Daniel and former partner Carla Estrada. Violago defeated her own brother in-law Lito. Vergara triumphed over incumbent Gov. Czarina Umali.
Nagaño, a physician and former mayor of Gapan City, expressed hope she can contribute for her first job in the formulation of implementing rules and regulation (IRR) for the new Universal Health Care Law.
Vergara said she will pursue the Magna Carta for Tricycle Drivers that she authored and see to it that the P10-billion support fund for farmers under the controversial Rice Tariffication Law is used properly.
In the 17th Congress, Vergara opposed the P1-budget for the Commission on Human Rights, lowering the age of criminal liability and death penalty despite her alliance with the administration.
Women also head two of five cities in the province: reelected Palayan City Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas, and Myca Vergara of this city.
Also, two of the 10 members of the sangguniang panlalawigan are women: reelectionist Tess Patiag, and newly elected Joy Pascual, both from the 4th District.
Several women were also elected to respective councils of different town and cities of Nueva Ecija, records from the Comelec showed.
Dynasties
Meanwhile, the Umali clan has retained its hold in Nueva Ecija’s top post with the election of patriarch former Gov. Aurelio Umali to the same post, along with his brother and vice gubernatorial tandem, incumbent city vice mayor Anthony Umali.
This, even as his wife incumbent Gov. Czarina Umali failed in her bid to regain the 3rd congressional district post, which she held before she was elected governor in 2016.
The family of her nemesis, Rep. Rosanna Vergara expanded its grip on this city with the election of her husband incumbent Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara as vice mayor and daughter Myca as mayor.
The Joson family that once ruled the province managed to hold on to their hometown of Quezon with Mayor Mariano Cristino Joson and son Vice Mayor Dean who both run unopposed, and a seat in the provincial board with incumbent Cabanatuan City councilor EJ Joson.
Joson losers included former governor Eduardo Nonato Joson in his comeback bid, and nephew board member Edward Thomas Joson for the vice gubernatorial post.
In Jaen town, Mayor Sylvia Austria got reelected along with her son Sylvester who landed first in the sangguniang bayan and brotherin- law Luisito Austria as vice mayor.
Gapan City Mayor Emerson Pascual, whose father Boy is chair of Barangay Pambuan , was reelected with his sister Joy Pascual as 4th District board member.
Former Mayor Marivic Belena failed in her bid for the same post as well as her husband, also former mayor, for vice mayor, of San Jose City.
They lost to reelectionist Mayor Mario Salvador and Vice Mayor Glenda Felimon.
