Cayetanos dominate Taguig polls

FILE: Isang karangalan ibalita sa inyo na kaninang 2:19 ng hapon, iprinoklama tayo bilang nanalong kandidato sa pagka-Mayor ng ating lungsod. (Photo: Lino Cayetano/Facebook)

MANILA — The Taguig City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) proclaimed members of the Cayetano family, who won the mayoral and congressional races in the city.

TV director Lino Cayetano was proclaimed mayor-elect after garnering 170,809 votes, beating Taguig-Pateros Rep. Arnel Cerafica who only obtained 108,050 votes.

“We thank the Taguigeños for this overwhelming victory in the polls. We also call on the residents to unite as we work together as their new leaders,” the first-time mayor told Philippine News Agency on the sidelines of the proclamation.

Lino vowed to continue key programs and reforms for the residents of the city, particularly scholarship grants and the establishment of a second hospital to improve healthcare services.

Aside from Cayetano, other winning candidates also proclaimed were third term vice mayor-elect Ricardo Cruz and 2nd Dist. Representative-elect Lani Cayetano.

Meanwhile, former Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, is expected to be back as representative of the first district of Taguig.

His proclamation, however, was deferred later on Tuesday pending the transmission of votes from Pateros.

The former top diplomat is the brother of Pia Cayetano, who ranks fourth in the partial and unofficial results of the senatorial race.

She and her brother Alan Peter both served as members of the Senate during the 14th Congress.

Their father, the late Renato Luna Cayetano, popularly known as Compañero because of his popular public affairs talk show “Compañero y Compañera” in the 1990s, also served as senator from 1998 to 2003.

A mix of old-timers and new faces

This year’s elections in Metro Manila saw a mix of old names and newcomers taking the helm of various cities.

In Manila, former vice mayor Isko Moreno won against incumbent Mayor and former President Joseph Estrada.

In Pasig, Councilor Victor “Vico” Sotto snatched the mayoral post from incumbent Robert Eusebio, ending the Eusebio clan’s 27-year reign in the city.

Meanwhile, incumbent Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte was proclaimed as mayor-elect of Quezon City, defeating First District Representative Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo.

In San Juan, former vice mayor Francis Zamora has put an end to the five-decade rule of the Estradas in the city, defeating Janella Ejercito-Estrada, daughter of senatorial candidate Jinggoy Estrada.

Meanwhile, Abby Binay is set to serve her second term as Makati mayor after beating her brother Junjun.

Other incumbent city mayoral candidates who also maintained their posts are Jaime Fresnedi in Muntinlupa, Rex Gatchalian in Valenzuela, Antolin Oreta in Malabon, Imelda Aguilar in Las Piñas and Carmelita Abalos in Mandaluyong.