Ex-PBA cager Hontiveros wins big in Cebu

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Former PBA superstar Dondon Hontiveros proved that his resounding victory in the 2019 elections was no fluke.

In earning a fresh mandate as a councilor in Cebu City’s south district, Hontiveros once again garnered the most number of votes among the 16 candidates who successfully secured a seat in the city council.

Hontiveros, who played for 17 years in the PBA, got a total of 178,953 votes in the May 9 elections, making him the city’s No. 1 councilor.

“I did not expect to have that number of votes because when I decided to run as an independent candidate, a lot of people were surprised and we heard that some were offended,” Hontiveros said.   

In the 2019 midterm elections, Hontiveros also wound up with the most number of votes with 160,984.

With the highest number of votes in 2019, Hontiveros became the city’s vice mayor following the death of Mayor Edgardo Labella.

Labella was replaced by then Vice Mayor Michael Rama while Hontiveros filled the void vacated by Rama.

In his second term as councilor, Hontiveros vowed to intensify his advocacy to help the youth as chairman of the city council’s committee on scholarship.

“I hope that I will be given more committees in which Mayor Mike thinks I can grow and develop further as a public servant,” said Hontiveros.

Aside from Hontiveros, another former PBA player also made a successful foray in politics.

Rey Evangelista, known for his defensive exploits while playing for Purefoods, won as a councilor in Ormoc City.

Evangelista got 65,954 votes, the third highest votes among the winning councilors. He ran under the slate of fellow sportsman Richard Gomez, who was elected as congressman.

Another Visayas-based former PBA player Elmer “Boy” Cabahug also joined the political fray this year but unlike Hontiveros and Evangelista, he was unsuccessful.

Cabahug lost in his bid to become vice mayor in Mandaue City as he only garnered 58,535 votes compared to the 110,301 votes that incumbent Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede got. – Rappler.com