By Mortz C. Ortigoza, MPA
BOLINAO, Pangasinan – Former Pangasinan First District Congressman Jesus “Boying” Celeste sees Tim Orbos as an opponent for the congressional seat of his younger brother come backing seasoned politico Art Celeste.
“It will be Orbos,” he told this Writer when asked if who among Sual Mayor Liseldo “Dong” Calugay, Alaminos former Vice Mayor Earl James Aquiono,and Orbos will be pitted against former nine years House of Representatives' member and ex- Alaminos City mayor Celeste on the May 9, 2022 election.
A source said Orbos is more of a congressional material than the first term mayor of Sual. The first class town hosts the 1,200 mega watt coal powered plant and fourth richest municipality in the Philippines.
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| CONGRESSIONAL RIVAL: From left: Former Alaminos City Mayor Art Celeste and former Undersecretary of the Department of Transportation Tim Orbos. |
“For the Congressional seat, Ama Espino might listen to the Mayors' request for him to run (or it would still be Tim Orbos or Calugay) In terms of survey ratings, Tim Orbos got a higher score than Calugay. But Calugay has more "mola" than Orbos. Will they have more money than the Celestes? He who has the gold rules!” he cited in a condition of anonymity.
In the 2019 congressional derby, former Bolinao Mayor Arnold Celeste defeated Orbos in a tight race.
“But it is another fight for Orbos as Art is more popular than Noli (nickname of Arnold),” a supporter said.
The older Celeste has explanation to that hair thin margin the neophyte Orbos – a protegee of veteran politician former Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. – had with the victorious Noli.
Orbos, the younger brother of former Pangasinan Governor Oscar Orbos, was the former General Manager of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure of the Department of Transportation in the Duterte Administration.
Boying said that the family was enmeshed in an expensive governorship contest in 2019 where Art challenged Espino’s namesake and son the Governor of the vote - rich province in the Philippines where Art lost in that contest.
The 2019 election gamble stretched the financial capability of the Celestes to launch a close contest against the allies of the Espinos in the nine towns and one city’s district.
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| AUTHOR poses in El Pescador, Bolinao with two mayorship aspirants of Dasol and Sual, Pangasinan. Extreme left is Dasol Vice Mayor Rizalde "Sadong" Bernal and former First District Congressman Jesus "Boying" Celeste (extreme right). |
With Art running for the national post, Arnold Celeste will file his candidacy in the fourth class one horse’s town Agno for mayorship against Espino’s ally sitting mayor Gualberto R. Sison.
Former Congressman Boying is hell bent to unseat Sual Mayor Calugay after the Espino's political juggernaut took the town by defeating former Mayor John Arcinue – a Celeste’s ally – in the May 2019 election.
The former solon said he was privy that their political opponents identified with the Espinos have met lately in one of the towns of Western Pangasinan.
“Hayaan mo sila. Hinde kami natatakot sa kanila kahit sino pa sa kanila ang tumakbo sa Congressional at Alaminos City nakahanda kami,” he confidently told this Writer.
This after hearing incessant rumors that made him pugnacious that the older Espino has moist eye for the Hundred Islands’ city.
“My latest info I gathered this afternoon was Tim Orbos will run for congressman (District One). Earl Aquino intimated that Espino will run in Alaminos City two month ago. But things can change. Kailangan talagang malaman saan nag rehistro ang matanda. Dapat may informant ka sa Alaminos Comelec,” the spook said.
Until now political kibitzers are still guessing if the former Governor transferred his voter’s registration from Bautista, Pangasinan to either the First or Second Congressional Districts. The latter situs is where he will suppose to be drawing sword with former Congressman and Billionaire Mark Cojuangco who is bellicose to tangle with either the older Espino or his reelective son Congressman Jumel Espino.
Deep Throat-II said that the Espino- Orbos Team are continually meeting.
“The last meeting was at the birthday party of Lyn Ray Celino, the PDP mayoralty candidate from Anda who lost to Mayor Rarang. All incumbent mayors loyal to Espino including those who lost in the 2019 election were there”.
The former nine years congressman and the older brother of the Celeste siblings said there was no truth that his dashing young nephew and Art’s son Alaminos City Bryan C. Celeste will step down and becomes an actor for the celluloid screen.
“Mayor Arth Bryan C. Celeste, the youngest mayor in the Philippines seems to be losing his interest in politics. According to my source, he is considering entering showbiz. It seems that his showbiz girlfriend had an influence on him. He is good looking and a matinee idol material. Will his parents and uncles give him their blessing to leave the "family business"?,” Deep Throat -II posed.
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