DESPITE losing some allies, the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) Party, led by former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña, remains unfazed, however, this may have an impact on the group’s election campaign.
Franklyn Ong, Barangay Kasambagan captain and Association of Barangay Councils president, has already aligned with elected Mayor Michael Rama for the 2025 elections.
Ong ran for vice mayor in the 2022 elections under BOPK, with Margot Osmeña, wife of former mayor Osmeña, and both lost.
When asked if Ong’s departure affected the party’s strength, Councilor Nestor Archival said in an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, “maybe,” noting that Ong has a good connection with barangay captains in the city.
“In our case, we have tried our best as a group to be not only relying on barangay captains because most of the barangay captains are not with us,” said Archival.
He added that the barangay captains are very important because they have their clout or influence.
“But I would say that the ones who will vote are basically not the barangay captains. If only people would see how things are flowing from the very start when Tommy came in, and from now, I would say we’d have the edge,” Archival said.
Other allies
Aside from Ong, Rachel Marguerite “Cutie” del Mar and Jessica Resch, former Sangguniang Kabataan Federation president, also parted ways with BOPK.
When asked to comment, Archival said they might have committed to their current parties long before the BOPK made its move.
Archival said Ong may have been meeting with Rama while the BOPK was still passively observing the political landscape.
Del Mar has aligned with Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia’s Kusug Party as their potential Cebu City north district representative, while Resch is now with Rama’s Partido Barug.
Edge
Archival, who is seeking the mayoralty seat in tandem with Tomas, said that BOPK’s consistency can be considered their edge over other political coalitions.
He said that BOPK avoided choosing candidates from other parties solely to win elections.
Archival added that if a party changes sides, there is a possibility that policies in the future can also be changed.
“The team play of a group starts way before, and the people we have are with us,” Archival said.
He acknowledged that some BOPK members may support other parties but believe others will remain loyal.
In a previous SunStar report, when the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) commenced on Tuesday, Oct. 1, Partido Barug, led by Rama, and BagOng Sugbo, led by Ong, forged a new alliance to support each other’s campaigns in the upcoming election.
Moreover, Garcia and former Metropolitan Cebu Water District board chairman Jose Daluz III hinted at a possible tandem for the next year’s election following the merger of their respective parties.
When Archival was asked if he considers himself a frontrunner or an underdog amid the coalitions of other parties, he said he could not say anything about it.
Archival said the BOPK is doing the best it can.
He added that the BOPK lineup can offer a more united group capable of serving better and giving their best for Cebu.
On national party affiliation, Archival said the BOPK has already affiliated with a party but preferred not to announce it yet.
Archival said the BOPK candidates will be filing their COCs either on Oct. 7 or 8.