THE cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu have new mayors after the May 13 elections.
There were still 44 clustered precincts in Cebu City whose results had yet to be canvassed at 11 p.m. Monday, but Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña already conceded his defeat to Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella.
On June 30, Labella will be the mayor of Cebu City with Michael Rama as vice mayor.
Labella garnered 250,558 votes as against Osmeña’s 233,232 in 715 of the 759 clustered precincts.
Osmeña posted a statement on his loss on his Facebook account. Part of it said, “I do not want a single person to feel sorry for me. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I am not the priority. YOU are the priority. Everything I’ve done as mayor, I’ve done for Cebu.”
Former mayor Rama garnered 247,059 votes as against Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos’ 221,665.
Reps. Raul del Mar and Rodrigo Abellanosa got reelected to represent Cebu City’s two legislative districts.
In Mandaue City, Rep. Jonas Cortes defeated Mayor Luigi Quisumbing in the mayoral race by almost 43,000 votes.
Cortes’ runningmate Glenn Bercede will replace incumbent Carlo Fortuna as vice mayor.
Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon got elected congresswoman of the sixth district.
In the 2022 elections, Mandaue City will be a separate district and will have its own House representative.
In Lapu-Lapu City, Councilor Junard Chan defeated Arturo Radaza by almost 20,000 votes in the mayoral race.
Chan will have his running mate Celsi Sitoy as vice mayor come June 30.
Paz Radaza, now on her last term as mayor, got elected as congresswoman of Lapu-Lapu City. Her daughter Aileen holds the House seat but did not seek any position in the 2019 elections.
In San Fernando town, incumbent Mayor Lakambini Reluya was already 6,000 votes ahead of rival Ruben Feliciano with 57 of 59 precincts already in.
Reluya had 21,396 to Feliciano’s 15.084. (MPS)