MANILA, Philippines – Ruling party PDP-Laban retains its stronghold in localities where races were hotly contested as candidates allied with President Rodrigo Duterte claimed victory in the 2019 elections.

Among the 25 provinces where the campaign atmosphere was more intense due to one-on-one gubernatorial races, 18 provinces saw candidates square off with PDP-Laban backed bets.

In all but 5 of these 18 races, Duterte is assured the support of its elected officials.

Elected governors in one-on-one races where Duterte’s party mates won were the following:

AGUSAN DEL NORTE

• Winning candidate: Dale Corvera

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 93.22% of precincts having transmitted results, Corvera had garnered 123,726 votes. His opponentJuan Amante of Nacionalista Party garnered 73,284 votes.

DAVAO DEL NORTE

• Winning candidate: Edwin Jubahib

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 92.51% of precincts having transmitted results, Jubahib had garnered 279,222 votes. His opponent Rodolfo del Rosario Jr of Hugging ng Pagbabago garnered 169,363 votes.

GUIMARAS

• Winning candidate: Samuel Gumarin

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 83.24% of precincts having transmitted results, Gumarin had garnered 68,671 votes. His opponent Felicity Gareza of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas garnered 4,596 votes.

ISABELA

• Winning candidate: Rodolfo Albano III

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 92.31% of precincts having transmitted results, Albano had garnered 574,959 votes. His opponent Antonio Aliangan who ran independently garnered 20,971 votes.

LEYTE

• Winning candidate: Leopoldo Petilla

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 93.54% of precincts having transmitted results, Petilla had garnered 463,039 votes. His opponent Romeo Plasquita who ran independently garnered 30,203 votes.

MASBATE

• Winning candidate: Antonio Kho

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 93.19% of precincts having transmitted results, Kho had garnered 261,394 votes. His opponent Scott Lanete of NPC garnered 119,491 votes.

PANGASINAN

• Winning candidate: Amado Espino III

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 91.66% of precincts having transmitted results, Espino had garnered 772,857 votes. His opponent Arthur Celeste of Nacionalista Party garnered 576,455 votes.

ROMBLON

• Winning candidate: Jose Riano

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 93.69% of precincts having transmitted results, Riano had garnered 75,101 votes. His opponent Robert Fabella of Lakas-CMD garnered 63,340 votes.

SAMAR

• Winning candidate: Milagros Tan

As of 10:54 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 89.61% of precincts having transmitted results, Tan had garnered 198,567 votes. Her opponent Emilio Zosa of Lakas-CMD garnered 189,306 votes.

SARANGANI

• Winning candidate: Steve Solon

As of 10:54 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 86,87% of precincts having transmitted results, Solon had garnered 166,258 votes. His opponent Mohamad Aquia who ran independently garnered 26,513 votes.

SIQUIJOR

• Winning candidate: Zaldy Villa

As of 10:54 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 92.76% of precincts having transmitted results, Villa had garnered 39,402 votes. His opponent Joecel Luy of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas garnered 13,425 votes.

SURIGAO DEL NORTE

• Winning candidate: Francisco Matugas

As of 10:54 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 85.64% of precincts having transmitted results, Matugas had garnered 139,374 votes. His opponent Robert Barbers of Nacionalista Party garnered 115,556 votes.

ZAMBALES

• Winning candidate: Hermogenes Ebande Jr

As of 10:54 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 89.15% of precincts having transmitted results, Ebande had garnered 151,456 votes. His opponent Amor Deloso of Makimaza garnered 128,302 votes.

Meanwhile, PDP-Laban bets lost in these 5 provinces:

ABRA

• Winning candidate: Maria Bernos
• Party: National Unity Party/Asenso

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 90.56% of precincts having transmitted results, Bernos had garnered 103,078 votes. Her opponent Robert Seares Jr of PDP-Laban garnered 33,994 votes.

ANTIQUE

• Winning candidate: Rhodora Cadiao
• Party: National Unity Party

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 93.4% of precincts having transmitted results, Cadiao had garnered 177,975 votes. His opponent Paolo Javier of PDP-Laban garnered 90,509 votes.

DINAGAT ISLANDS

• Winning candidate: Arlene Bag-Ao
• Party: Liberal Party

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 98.51% of precincts having transmitted results, Bag-Ao had garnered 29,214 votes. Her opponent Benglen Ecleo of PDP-Laban garnered 26,705 votes.

ILOCOS SUR

• Winning candidate: Ryan Singson
• Party: Bileg Ti Ilokano

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 95.92% of precincts having transmitted results, Singson had garnered 289,309 votes. His opponent Muriel Zaragoza of PDP-Laban garnered 4,596 votes.

OCCIDENTAL MINDORO

• Winning candidate: Eduardo Gadiano
• Party: Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan

As of 10:07 am Tuesday morning, May 14, with 92.77% of precincts having transmitted results, Gadiano had garnered 114,618 votes. His opponent Mario Mendiola of PDP-Laban garnered 84,744 votes.

Administration’s policies forge on

In an earlier interview with Rappler, Ela Atienza, chairperson of the University of the Philippines Political Science Department, said local politicians who aligned themselves with PDP-Laban enjoyed advantages such as access to the national party’s vast resources and satisfaction associated with the President’s high popularity ratings.

Supporting the administration, she said, also allowed local politicians to steer clear from being branded as “hostile” to the President, “who can be very personal in terms of attacks against local critics or rivals.”

The campaign period for local elections came against the backdrop of Duterte’s public call-out against local officials allegedly linked to the illegal drugs trade. The government issued the drug list through state-run television stations ahead of the May 2019 polls.

With the administration’s bets winning in both the national and local elections, Atienza said a continuation of Duterte’s pet policies can be expected. These include the government’s brutal anti-illegal drug campaign, its campaign for legislation for tax reform and the push for a federal constitution, among others. – Rappler.com

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