They laid him to rest yesterday. Now we can talk about who could succeed Raul del Mar, not for the short term because that has been settled with the designation of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco as caretaker following Raul’s wish, but for three years, maybe more, starting at noontime of July 30, 2022.
Stepping into Raul’s shoe’s is a tough act to follow. He had not lost an election in Cebu since 1987 when he was first elected to Congress, beating back one challenge after another in a total of 11 elections, including those where he fielded his son Rannie and later, his daughter Cutie in his stead because he had already served the constitutional limit of three consecutive terms.
The district does not however lack in people willing to take the challenge although all of them, except one, have chosen to remain coy while they assess their chances of getting the endorsement from their party or political patron.
Without discounting the possibility of a relative unknown springing a surprise, I can see the following politicians as potential candidates for the North District House seat in 2022: Actor Richard Yap, Councilors Joel Garganera, Raymund Garcia and Niña Mabatid from Barug; and Cutie del Mar, Councilors Joy Young and Nestor Archival and ABC President Franklyn Ong from the BOPK.
Let’s start with Yap. He was Barug’s candidate against Raul in the last election, a reluctant one, I was told, because he had no experience in politics. If it is true that he relented only after he was promised that he would still be the party’s candidate in 2022, when Raul could no longer be a candidate even if he had not died, then Yap should be favored to clinch Barug’s nomination.
Garganera and Garcia are among the most visible Cebu City councilors and are eminently qualified to run for Congress. More importantly, they enjoy the friendship of both Mayor Edgar Labella and Vice Mayor Mike Rama. But that friendship could also convince them to stay out of the fray in order to preserve party unity.
Which is something that probably cannot be said of Mabatid, who has publicly made known months ago her intention to run for Congress without clarifying whether she would do so only with her party’s nomination. Mabatid does not see eye to eye with some of her partymates so it would not be surprising if she runs on her own or under another political party.
From the BOPK, Joy Young would not be a stranger to Congress, having spent three years in the chamber as party-list congressman. It could have been six years had the Comelec not disqualified Promdi. He continues to be congressional potential.
Archival and Ong are very loyal allies of Osmeña and, given Archival’s extensive experience in public service and Ong’s wherewithal, any one of them can be a good candidate for the House.
Cutie del Mar is the most favored to gain the BOPK nod, however. Like Young, she is also a one-time congressman. And just as importantly, she is Raul’s daughter. If it is true that former Mayor Tommy Osmeña has promised Raul to choose Cutie as BOPK candidate, then everything is moot and academic. Tommy will keep his word, you can bet on that.
With Tommy’s backing and the goodwill that Raul earned during his 26 years as the gentleman from the Cebu City North District, Cutie could very well be on track to continue what has become a family tradition.