MANILA, Philippines – Members of political dynasties and former lawmakers have comfortable leads in newly-created districts that were up for grabs in the May 13 elections, based on data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) transparency server as of 2:28 pm on Thursday, May 16.

In Isabela, two members of the Dy family took the new 5th and 6th districts, created after Isabela’s legislative districts were reapportioned. 

San Manuel Mayor Faustino Michael Dy III of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas was leading in the 5th district with 80,031 votes, versus opponent ex-congressman Edwin Uy of ruling party PDP-Laban, with 38,984 votes. 

In the 6th district congressional race, barangay chairman Faustino “Inno” Dy V of PDP-Laban has a huge lead over ex-San Isidro mayor Abraham Lim of Lakas-CMD.  

Dy has 105,324 votes versus Lim’s 9,860 votes. 

In the new 2nd district of Aklan, created after the province was split into two districts, Teodorico Haresco Jr of the Nacionalista Party (NP) looks set to return to the House, after getting 92,846 votes.

Haresco’s nearest opponent was Anita Victoria Ramos of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), who got 49,073 votes. Ramos is the daughter of ex-congressman Godofredo Ramos.

Meanwhile, Aklan lone district congressman Carlito Marquez (NPC) was reelected, this time taking the first district. Getting 91,902 votes so far, Marquez defeated independent bets former Banga mayor Antonio Maming (43,122 votes) and lawyer Axel Gonzales (4,472 votes).

Unopposed incumbent representatives Abraham Tolentino (PDP-Laban) and Joaquin Chipeco Jr (NP) will transfer to new districts as well.

Tolentino received 143,367 votes so far in Cavite’s 8th district, while Chipeco obtained 149,428 votes in the new district for Calamba City.

Tolentino was from the 7th district of Cavite, while Chipeco was the outgoing representative of Laguna’s 2nd district.

Upcoming districts

Meanwhile, in two areas where there will be new districts after 2019, political dynasties and prominent politicians grabbed important local posts.

In Southern Leyte, the Mercado brothers continue their hold of the province, as Governor Damian Mercado and Representative Roger Mercado were set to be reelected. They ran under PDP-Laban.

Meanwhile, in General Santos City, with all votes in, Mayor Ronnel Rivera of the People’s Champ Movement party won reelection after defeating Jacinto Omila of the Achievement with Integrity Movement party.

But Rivera’s running mate Lorelie Pacquiao lost in a close vote to Loreto Acharon, brother of South Cotabato 1st district congressman Pedro Acharon Jr, who didn’t run in 2019.

The city’s vice mayor, Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles (PDP-Laban), will be succeeding Acharon in Congress, after defeating 3 other opponents in the polls.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 11198 splitting Southern Leyte into two districts, as well as RA 11243 giving General Santos City its own congressional district, carved out of South Cotabato’s 1st district.

However, these laws were signed after the election period. At that point, preparations for the May 2019 polls were already underway, and ballots were already being printed.

There is no word yet on when the election for these posts will be held. Both RAs stated that the incumbent lawmakers will continue to represent these areas, as part of its home legislative districts, until the election of representatives for the two new districts. – Rappler.com