It looks like with the United Negros Alliance-Love Negros coalition, there will be few heated political battles in the 31 towns and cities of Negros Occidental in the 2022 polls.
Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante, UNegA secretary-general, said the status quo is likely to remain for most incumbent officials from the governor, congressmen, board members down to the mayors in 2022.
That is because UNegA and Love Negros by recognizing the equity of the incumbent will not be fielding opponents against the present officials.
The only two areas where there may be battles for mayoral posts are in the towns of Toboso and Isabela, Escalante said.
Mayor Richard Jaojoco is ending his third term in Toboso and it looks like his wife, Madonnah, may run for mayor but there are also other interested parties, Escalante said, although an agreement may still be reached on a common candidate.
Vice Mayor Renato Malabor Jr. also appears to be determined to run against incumbent mayor Irene Montilla in Isabela, he said.
Escalante said in Sagay City an agreement has been reached. Unofficially he can say that Mayor Alfredo Marañon III will run for congressman of the second district, Sagay Vice Mayor Narciso Javelosa Jr. will run for Mayor of Sagay City and Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva wll run as vice mayor, Escalante added.
Escalante said UNEGA and Love Negros will also support the re-election bids of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, and the incumbent board members, House representatives and the rest of the mayors.
Members of UNegA and Love Negros are meeting Friday, April 23, Lacson said.
“It is more to inform the members what our teammate (former) congressman Albee Benitez is contemplating on doing,” Lacson said.
Benitez registered to vote in Bacolod City Thursday and it is believed that he may run for mayor of the city.*