CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Until this week, most people in Cagayan de Oro never heard of Adonis “Dondon” Ragasi, and those who did saw him as one of those nuisance candidates.

But on Wednesday, April 20, the lesser-known mayoral aspirant found himself shining and sharing the limelight with the standard-bearer of one of two major political groups campaigning to win key positions in city hall. 

The two faced each other, one on one, during a candidates’ forum at the Little Theater of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.

The Gawad Kalinga volunteer community organizer shone, starting with a stinging commentary about Cagayan de Oro’s ruling class who, he said, were preoccupied with fighting each other for the city’s political leadership while most Kagay-anons suffered from government neglect and inefficiency.

Ragasi said he was running for the city’s mayoral post under the group Abag Promdi as a political statement against Cagayan de Oro’s ruling elite.

“Kasagara sa nagpapili mga elitista – kadto rang sikat, kwartahan apan wala mahimong kaabag sa katawhan sa dakbayan,” he said.

(Most of the candidates are elitists – only the famous and the moneyed who haven’t done anything to help the people of this city.)

For nearly an hour, Ragasi squared off with former Phividec Industrial Authority administrator Jose Gabriel “Pompee” La Viña and proved himself a worthy opponent of the social media director of President Rodrigo Duterte’s successful 2016 campaign. 

Ragasi expressed his aversion toward the “elitists and the rich” who have been taking turns in governing the city for years.

From one city hall administration to another, he said, major problems have not been addressed and important issues have taken the backseat “because their priority is how to fatten their pockets and do business in government.”

“We see the same old problems,” Ragasi said in Cebuano.

Ragasi cited some of the pressing concerns that he said have not been addressed by previous and present city officials: vehicular traffic congestion, illicit drug trade and peace and order, urban flooding, relocation of many informal settlers, and garbage collection, among others.

The father of three made sense, and spoke with confidence, sure of his facts and position. 

Several times, La Viña agreed with Ragasi, and even expounded his ideas based on the points raised by his younger opponent.

With La Viña as his only opponent during the forum, Ragasi made quite an impression, scoring points as he connected to his audience. He was articulate and showed command of the everyday Cebuano language.

“Nag-shine gyud siya (He really shone),” said Netnet Camomot, one of the organizers of the four Pag-ila 2022 candidates’ forums this month.

Nestor Banuag Jr., the lead convenor of the Lihuk Movement 2022, said Ragasi came prepared and arrived ahead of the other candidates.

“Ragasi had a clear grasp of issues. He was consistent with his positions, and was able to articulate these. Personally, I was impressed by him notwithstanding his lack of political machinery and resources,” said Banuag.

Four other mayoral candidates were a no-show and lost by default during the forum – their loss was Ragasi’s gain; he showed that he was La Viña’s co-equal in terms of thought processes at the very least.

Cagayan de Oro 1st District Representative Rolando “Klarex” Uy, widely perceived as the man to beat in the mayoral race, skipped the candidates’ forum without sending organizers of the Pag-ila 2022 forum a formal notice.

A day earlier, he announced he was skipping the candidates’ forum because he felt there was already no need for him to introduce himself and bare his plans for Cagayan de Oro because these were already made public.

“I don’t see the need to introduce myself because the people know me already. I have bared my platform. The other candidates need it the most. They are the ones who need to introduce themselves,” he said.

Neither did Uy send organizers of the Pag-ila 2022 candidates’ forum a formal notice about his decision, saying he didn’t have to because he already announced his decision to skip it.

Uy’s Vice Mayor-son Reineir Joaquin was also a no-show during a similar forum for congressional candidates on April 13. He said he had a meeting with Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) leaders in Quezon City that day.

Three other less known mayoral candidates like Ragasi – Glenn Ubalde, Vic Flores, and Felix Borres Jr. – were also a no-show for unclear reasons.

Banuag said he was dismayed over the decision of most of the mayoral candidates to skip the forum his group organized as part of voters’ education efforts.

“We don’t know their reasons for their decision, but I’m disappointed on behalf of the students who helped in organizing the forum. It was for them,” Banuag said.

Lawyer Rowell Valledor, Cagayan de Oro elections officer, said no law compels candidates to face off in public fora, but “they should at least see this as their moral obligation.”

“It’s up to the people to pass judgment on them,” Valledor said. – Rappler.com