With a little over a month before the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2025 elections, talks are rife on how the final line-up in Bacolod City will look like?
The El-Bee poster circulating on social media points to Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran who is on his third and last term in his post and is rumored to be running for the congressional seat and Mayor Albee Benitez who will seek re-election for the chief executive position.
The congressional post is open with third termer Rep. Greg Gasataya stepping down.
El Cid acknowledged that those came from his supporters but that there are no final talks yet. However, in the past few months, El Cid who belongs to another political camp has been visible in Albee’s circle and this has prompted the talks that perhaps, he might just be a shoo-in for the congressional post.
On the other hand, I’ve talked to a few political leaders who intimated that Mayor Albee might run for the congressional post instead and maybe, a big maybe many said, may choose Cong. Greg to run for the mayoralty seat.
According to a source, the mayor may be happier in congress, his first home in politics, and away from the very frustrating systemic problem in City Hall. Plus, it will be quite a novelty to see Albee there with his son, Javi, if the latter will give up his seat as mayor of Victorias City to replace his uncle, former Rep. Kiko Benitez who is head of TESDA.
However, there are many constituents, including me, who would rather see Mayor Albee fulfil all his plans and dreams for Bacolod before he moves on to a higher post – perhaps a senatorial seat someday is what many are saying is a big possibility especially with his strong alliance with the current administration.
What if Albee gets offered a Cabinet position? That is a welcome idea as that can spell more development for Bacolod and probably more acceptable if that will be the reason for vacating the mayoralty post.
However, a switch for the congressional post only may not sit well with many and will be seen as an easy way out and Albee reneging on his promise to make Bacolod great or at least much better than we were, before he steps down.
Another source also said that we should not dismiss former Mayor Bing Leonardia who is allegedly planning his comeback in either post that Albee will not be running for. If this is true, I guess Bing has realized it is futile for him to spend so much to quash Albee’s popularity.
If indeed true, will Bing bid against El Cid who was his running mate in the last election for a possible congressional fight? And will Bing be confident to run against Greg for the mayoralty post just in case that scenario plays out?
Albee has created his own mass base which includes supporters of Greg, former Cong. Monico Puentevella and those from the camp of Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Stephen “Caraps” Paduano.
But both El Cid and Greg have mass base that are part of Bing’s machinery. Where will these voters side in case Bing gets pitted against the two? That will be interesting and will really show what mass base these three have.
One observer told me it is definite that Bing will show action this 2025 and it’s a matter of what position he will run for as he has to put in place a political mass base for Vice President Sara Duterte’s future plans. Hmmm, I must admit I don’t like the sound of that
If indeed Bing will run, I think it is best that he will only campaign for himself since I don’t think he has the stamina or that many resources to create his own line-up. Running on his own will give him a better chance than be saddled by hangers-on. Again, I must admit that I not so open about this idea as well.
On the side, there are stories of a falling out between Albee and Greg and this was more evident several months ago and became fodder for news in fact. This alleged rift was supposedly caused by the low acceptability of Greg’s wish for his daughter, Mansilingan Brgy. Captain Inday Fran, to be his replacement in Congress. The other factor they said was also the failure to bring in Fran as the president of the league of barangay captains that could have earned her a spot in the city council. Of course, this alleged crack in the alliance has been denied by both officials.
I have met Fran a few times and I am sure she is not a stranger to the goings-on in Congress. However, many see her as a neophyte and if you ask around, many feel she has yet to prove her worth at the barangay level and someday in city politics, before mulling to run for a much higher post. Someday, I will surely support a female leader to represent Bacolod in Congress but if elections are held today, I will support a more seasoned female leader than a first termer barangay chief.
Mayor Albee has announced a week or so ago that his party will soon meet to discuss who will be in their line-up. I will not be surprised though if some councilors who were part of Bing’s ticket then will be in Albee’s line-up this time around since some of them are perceived to have become close with the mayor already like Councilors Cindy Rojas and Em Ang. But will these two ladies be acceptable to the original team of Albee? I am sure there will be a few surprises when that official line-up is revealed.
In fact, there are talks too of Cindy as a potential vice-mayoralty candidate and so with Thaddy Sayson who was a former vice-mayor, but under Bing’s camp then. Well, we can keep on guessing but it is also not stopping people from floating these names to get the pulse of the masses and that includes the name of Cong Caraps who is on his last term as well.
Albee is a believer of ground survey they say and will probably conduct one to help him make a decision. And so till the day he announces the official line up, the race is on as to who is most acceptable among those who are throwing their hands in the 2025 race and worth considering to be part of that dream team.*