FOR THE 2025 MAYORALTY DERBY IN LINGAYEN
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – A battle
royal for the mayorship looms in this capital town between the reelectionist
mayor and a former congresswoman.
The sources of this newspaper said that former Pangasinan 5th District Rep. Carmen “Kimi” S. Cojuangco - the wife of 2nd District Cong. Mark O. Cojuangco - had registered at the Commission on Election (COMELEC) here as voter and was seen to exercise her Right of Suffrage in the last Barangay Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE).
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| CROSS SWORDS. Former Pangasinan 5th District Rep. Carmen “Kimi” S. Cojuangco (left photo) is rumored to challenge Lingayen, Pangasinan Mayor Leopoldo N. Bataoil on his reelection in the May 2025 election. |
Political kibitzers said that the
former Congresswoman - a former resident of Sison, Pangasinan - has a moist eye for the mayorhsip of the 32 villages and 107,728
populated (2020 census) coastal first class town.
Cojuangco became a member of the 16th
Congress in June 30, 2013 after succeeding her husband. She lost a wide
margin to former Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. when the latter
challenged her in the May 2016 congressional derby. Espino left Cojuangco with
a lead votes of 40, 438 among the 226, 324 electorates who voted in the eastern
Pangasinan’s district.
When asked by this newspaper if
he is amenable for another government position broached by the power-that-be,
Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil – who is on his second term – was hell-bent to run for
reelection in the May 2025 poll and finish his third and last term.
“I have said
it already I will focus on my third term and whatever these plans are I’ll
respect them. But I will focus on my third term. But when the right time comes
I will officially declare it,” he told Northern Watch Newspaper.
Bataoil, a nine-year former
congressman, said he is presently enmeshed in solving the myriad problems the
local government unit faces.
“There are
many problems of our town. Madami po ang dapat isagawa and I have always been
helping many of our constituents but in the process funds are not enough so
nakatulong sa akin iyang pagiging congressman nakakaraos kung saan ay nakaka
request ako ng mga national funds, regional funds, provincial funds. On that
note, nakakatulong dito sa local funds,” he narrated.
Bataoil, a retired police general,
beat in the May 13, 2019 mayorship election then incumbent Mayor Josefina “Iday”
Castaneda. Castaneda and incumbent
Congressman Cojuangco are allies.
Melvin Samson /
ReplyDeleteMelvin Samson : The People of Lingayen are for the Native Lingayenian, as they are NOT for "Dayu" (MIGRANTS), as they are for SELF-GOVERNANCE, Preservation of their Rich Cultural Heritage & Natural Resources, sans any Artificial Structures such as SeaWall which is Detrimental to FISHING & TOURISM; as they prefer the Excellently Performing Incumbent Mayor POL BATAOIL, as he always brings HOME the ACCOLADES since he was in High School, as a military and police officer, as an Outstanding Congressman during his Second Term, latest of which as a MAYOR is the 2023 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) Award for the Municipality of Lingayen as a Local Government Unit (LGU), given by NO less than DILG Secretary BENHUR ABALOS at the Manila Hotel recently.
If former Mayora IDAY CASTAÑEDA will DECIDE and RUN in 2025 she will slug it out with with Incumbent Mayor POL BATAOIL!
However, we MUST Bear in MIND the so-called EQUITY of the INCUMBENT.
We must NOT Forget that POL BATAOIL toppled the 27 years of Castañeda Supremacy in Lingayen in the 2019 Elections with the BIGGEST WINNING MARGIN of Almost 10,000 votes in the Political History of this Coastal & Capital Town!
BATAOIL prevailed again over ÇASTAÑEDA in 2022 polls but with Smaller Margin!
BATAOIL has a habit and management style of Continuity, Consistency and Excellence who always Plans and PLOTS on the Drawing Board in all his Military and Political Battles, which makes him easily CALCULATE his MOVES, which is a SAD NEWS to his Detractors, even those who UnderEstimate him.
Other Politicians are just on Rah-Rah-Rah, Boom-Chica-Boom Strategy, ya singa Manpuksak ya Orang ya Narel ed Pasiking o Tabagan!
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