Mayoral wannabe Rianne leads charge Women bets take Ecija politics by storm; 140 lady pols eye seats in 2013

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, November 2, 2012–Women power is taking Nueva Ecija politics by storm, with over 140 lady politicians throwing their hats in the political arena in the May 2013 elections.

          Records from the provincial office of the Commission on Elections here showed that at least 140 women candidates filed their certificates of candidacy for the various elective positions up for grabs in next year’s mid-term polls, some of whom are neophytes.

          Leading the roster of new aspirants is businesswoman Arianne Cuevas who is running for mayor of Palayan City under the banner of the Liberal Party against comebacking former three-term congressman and ex-Light Railways Transit Authority administrator Pacifico Fajardo.  

          Cuevas, more commonly known as Rianne, is an executive of at least six companies. She is said to be the political patron of outgoing three-term mayor Romeo Capinpin who is her running mate in the 2013 polls.

          Cuevas said her priority is to provide employment to residents of Palayan where the unemployment rate reportedly stands at 12% based on a recently commissioned survey of the city labor and employment office. This involves 5,000 individuals with no jobs at all.

          Based on Comelec records, there is one lady aspirant for governor, five for Congress, five for board members, four for the position of city mayor, five for city vice mayor, 13 for municipal mayor and 10 for municipal vice mayor and over 100 more for the post of city and municipal councilor.

          Outgoing three-term first district Rep. Josie Manuel-Joson is challenging the reelection bid of Gov. Aurelio Umali who is on his third and last term. Manuel-Joson is the wife of Quezon Mayor Mariano Cristino Joson.

          Those eyeing congressional seats are the governor’s wife, third district Rep.  Czarina who is seeking a third and last term against human rights lawyer J.V. Bautista; Senior Board Member Estrellita Suansing, former San Isidro mayor Sonia Lorenzo, former two-term fourth district congresswoman Julita Villareal and Magnolia Antonino, daughter of outgoing fourth district Rep. Rodolfo Antonino.

          Suansing, wife of Bureau of Customs deputy commissioner Horacio, is slugging it out in the first district against Mariano Cristino and former two-term congressman Renato Diaz.

          Lorenzo, executive director of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, is running against her estranged sister-in-law Villareal, the younger Antonino and San Leonardo Mayor Froilan Nagano.

          Those aspiring for board member are reelectionist Teresita Patiag and Belinda Panlilio, ex-board members Bella Aurora Dulay and Solita Santos and Nene Galvez who is running as an independent.

          Running for city mayors are Maricel Gatus Natividad of Gapan City, Vice Mayor Ester Lazaro of Munoz Science City, reelectionist Mayor Marivic Belena of San Jose City and Cuevas.

          Natividad is challenging the reelection bid of Mayor Christian Tinio, Lazaro is running against comebacking former three-term mayor Nestor Alvarez and Belena is facing former vice mayor Mario Salvador in a grudge rematch of the 2010 polls.

          Lady aspirants for city vice mayors are Councilor Glenda Felimon of San Jose City and Bibiana Abesamis of Palayan City.    

           The lady bets for municipal mayors are outgoing three-term Vice Mayor Elizabeth Vargas of Aliaga who is facing businesswoman Lucita Moreno; reelectionist Mayors Lovella Belmonte-Espiritu of Zaragoza, Gloria Crespo-Congco of Cabiao and Lorna Mae Vero of Llanera; Mary Abad of Carranglan, Floria Esteban of Cuyapo, lawyer Emily Padilla of Gabaldon, Areli Grace Santos and Luz Cruz of Gen. Natividad, Marivic Bajet of Lupao, Ophelia Cabico of Nampicuan and Nerivi Martinez of Talavera.

          For vice mayors, those running are reelectionist Vice Mayors Cinderella Ramos of Cuyapo, Ma. Lourdes Lahom of Quezon and Irene Bernardo of Sta. Rosa; ex-mayor Lydia Pagaduan of Zaragoza, Cora Villanueva of Nampicuan, Erlinda Abad of Gabaldon and Arsenia Javate of Jaen.

          Eyeing seats in the Sangguning Panlunsod or city councils are Cristina Paulino and reelectionist Councilor Jean Cruz in Cabanatuan City, Gemma Pangilinan, Susan Hernandez and Maria Erlinda Ordonez of Gapan City, Marinelia Coronel and Erlinda Jimenez of Munoz; Rosalia Merez, Annette Quiddam and Gloria Santos of Palayan City and Gloria Munar, Jennifer Salvador, Marivic Adawag, Rizza Mendoza and Susan Corpuz of San Jose City.

          Those running for seats in the Sangguniang Bayan or municipal councils are Susana Ramos, Donna Gonzales and Juanita de Leon of Aliaga, Teresita del Mundo, Edelwina Gonzales, Anita Legaspi and Sylvia Macalino of Cabiao; Rosalie Cabungcal, Elvira Codilana, Elizabeth Espinosa, Stephanie Joaquin, Rosemarie Miguel and Remedios Valdez (Gabaldon), Anita Arocena, Jenneth Diaz, Emelita Manahan and Evangeline Tampengco (Gen. Natividad), Ma. Lina Bulacan, Anna Busalpa and Belen Francisco (Gen. Tinio), Jesusa Samano (Laur);

          Myrna Ilagan, Leny Ogrimen and Noraida Rivera (Licab), Daisy Arocena, Cielito Bugayong, Elsa de Guzman, Lea Lagasca, Felicidad Matias and Soledad Roy (Llanera), Marilou Flores, Levie Ladia and Aurora Vendivil (Lupao), Gemma Guzman, Virgie Isidro and Zenaida Papilla (Nampicuan), Patricia Gaboy, Olivia Jardiel, Ofelia Manayao, Josefina Ortega and Michelle Santiago (Penaranda).

          Leticia Ramirez, Vita Salvacion and Anastacia Sison (Quezon), Teodora Agustin, Sofia Capia, Susana Dumlao, Rowena Palattao, Jeyanne Poblete, Marlyn Santos, Marilyn Villajuan and Theresa Wysthroff (Pantabangan), Rosalinda de Guzman, Lovely Sadama, Marivic Zapanta, Josephine dela Vega and Felomina Castelo (Rizal), Dominga Cruz, Daisy Santos, Iriz Torres and Angelyn Reyes (San Antonio), Vivian Tumacay (San Isidro), Diana Santos and Lizette Simbulan (Sta. Rosa), Eliza Bravo, Mira Espiritu, Armi Garcia and Teresita Torres (Sto. Domingo), Marlyn Aloya, Elvie Caparangca, Narcisa Camagas, Flora Cinense and Pia Sapla (Talugtug).

          Ginalyn Catambing, Corazon dela Cruz, Elsa Mesde, Annabel Ramos and Angelina Soleta (Talavera) and Erlinda Gasapos, Donabel Manucduc, Floremy Regunan, Winnie Annani, Jo Ann Palapal and Maria Kristine Regalado (Zaragoza). (Manny Galvez)