There are seven candidates for mayor and eight for vice mayor in Negros Occidental who are running unopposed in the May 2025 midterm elections, a Commission on Elections report on Wednesday, Oct. 9, showed.
They will only need one vote to win, Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said.
Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante and his nephew John Vincent Escalante who is running for vice mayor are unopposed.
Escalante said it will be his 12th election in 2025 and sixth for mayor. This is the first time he is running unopposed, he said.
He is thankful, it is like his hard work as mayor was recognized by other potential candidates who chose not to run against him, Escalante said.
It is like a show of contentment for the work he has done, he added.
Mayor John Paul Alvarez and his son John Paulo Alvarez who is running for vice mayor of Ilog are also unopposed.
The two other tandems that are unopposed are Mayor Renato Gustilo and Christopher Carmona of San Carlos City, and former mayor Richard Jaojoco who is running for mayor with Maria Luisa De La Cruz as his vice mayor in Toboso.
The seven unopposed candidates for mayor are:
FIRST DISTRICT
San Carlos: Renato Gustilo
Toboso: Richard Jaojoco
SECOND DISTRICT
Cadiz City: Salvador Escalante
Sagay City: Leo Rafael Cueva
THIRD DISTRICT
Victorias: Abelardo Bantug III
FOURTH DISTRICT
Pontevedra: Jose Maria Alonso
SIXTH DISTRICT
Ilog: John Paul Alvarez
The eight unopposed vice mayor candidates are:
FIRST DISTRICT
Calatrava: Florido Dinapo
DSBenedicto: Jugin Jewel Bandolon
Toboso: Maria Luisa Dela Cruz
San Carlos: Christopher Carmona
SECOND DISTRICT
Cadiz: John Vincent Escalante
FOURTH DISTRICT
Pulupandan: Anthony Gerard Suatengco
SIXTH DISRTRICT
Ilog: John Paulo Alvarez
Sipalay: Oscar Montilla
CONGRESSMAN, BMs
The Comelec on Tuesday also announced that Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District) and four board members are unopposed.
The unopposed board member candidates Marxlen dela Cruz and Araceli Somosa of the 1st District, and Sixto “Pal” Guanzon and Arthur Christopher Marañon of the 2nd District.
The following is the complete list of candidates for mayor and vice mayor in Negros Occidental:
