MANILA, Philippines – For the first time in the history of Manila, a woman will be at the helm.

After two terms serving as second-in-command, Maria Shielah “Honey” Lacuna has clearly gained the favor of Manileños, garnering 497,752 votes in a six-way race past midnight of Tuesday, May 10, with 92.31% of precincts reporting.

Based on partial and unofficial results from the Commission on Elections server as of 12:47 am, trailing Lacuna were:

• Alex Lopez (PFP) – 154,794 votes
• Amado Bagatsing (KABAKA) – 106,543votes
• Cristina Lim Raymundo (PDR) – 13,787 votes
• Elmer Jamias (PRP) – 3,672 votes
• Onofre Abad (Independent) – 2,398 votes

Lacuna, the current vice mayor, ran alongside Manila 3rd District Representative Yul Servo Nieto, who is winning the vice mayoral race with 542,328 votes so far.

The breakdown is as follows:

• Ramon “Raymond” Bagatsing (KBL) – 169,404 votes
• Arvin Reyes (Independent) – 11,318 votes
• Lucy Lapinig (PDR) – 11,052 votes

Lacuna and Nieto ran under the banner of Asenso Manileño/Aksyon Demokratiko.

A doctor, Lacuna wants to implement better health programs for the city. She was backed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, who endorsed her the same day he launched his presidential bid.

Her platform is supported by her experience during her second term as vice mayor, when Manila was impacted hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lacuna is all too familiar with the ins and outs of Manila city hall. Before entering politics, she worked as a physician from 1995 to 2004 in the city health office. She then served as a city councilor from 2004 to 2013. 

She served two terms as vice mayor, under then-mayor Joseph Estrada in 2016, and under Moreno in 2019.

She is the daughter of former vice mayor Danilo Lacuna Sr. – Rappler.com