Bacolor’s best

IF A contest will be held to select the Best Town Mayor of Pampanga, the award will most likely go to Mayor Jomar Hizon of Bacolor. Through Jomar's initiative and leadership, the lahar-ravaged municipality virtually rose from the ashes and is still a work in progress. Hizon restored vital public infrastructures along with people's hope for rebuilding their lives.

He established a public market that no local municipality could surpass: the price of pork in that market is the lowest in Pampanga. He is the only local mayor who bought heavy equipment for public use in flood mitigation, agricultural production and road construction. This equipment is loaned free to the people of Cabalantian and nearby villages along the Gugu creek.

Jomar is a law graduate and heads the procurement department of "Pampanga's Best." The growth and development of the family corporation is partly due to his great management skills, business foresight, and bold initiatives.

If her mother, Mrs. Lolita O. Hizon is the legend, Jomar is the family's knight in shining armor. Mother and son do not rest on their laurels but continue to work diligently and conscientiously to win people's confidence and support to their election bid. Vice mayor aspirant (Mrs. Hizon) has recently launched a street lighting system to illuminate the poblacion area, which is both a real and symbolic act of bringing light to dispel gloom and darkness. Can Jun Canlas hold a candle to match her magnificent project?

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The incumbent elective official, for all intents and purposes, is always the person to beat in his/her reelection bid. City Mayor EdPam holds this distinction.

Angeles City Vice Mayor Vicky, for instance, is the woman to beat. She is the front runner in the contest among the five aspirants.

Leading rivals, reportedly Balibago chairman Tony Mamac and former City Administrator Mark Allen Sison are battling for the right to beat her.
Early surveys put Mamac as slightly ahead of Sison in the race. Tony understandably, had run for city mayor, giving him wide and early exposure in the field.

Sison has been gaining ground on account of his bankability as future leader. He has successfully marketed himself as future President Binay's point man in Angeles City. He also carries the Blueboy banner now dominant over the District.

Vicky, however, is confident of her stable position. With the odds in her favor, she has four rivals who, she believed, would divide leftover votes in the tills.

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The actual gauge of the Mamac-Sison rivalry may be found out in the results of the senatorial race. Sison is campaigning for Nancy Binay, daughter of the Vice President. Mamac supports Risa Hontiveros, his principal LP bet for senator in Angeles City.

In a sense, Mark and Tony are waging a proxy fight for VP Binay and President Noy respectively.

Nancy has been landing among the top leading aspirants, but Risa has a proven vote-getting strength nationwide. Empowered by the women's sectors and endorsed by P-Noy she was a previous candidate landing nearest the magic 12.