REELECTED Kasambagan Barangay Captain Franklyn Ong, affiliated with Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), has secured the support of two opposing party leaders in Cebu City—current Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and former mayor Tomas Osmeña—in defending his seat as president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC).
However, reelected Cogon Pardo Barangay Captain Harry Eran, who recently confirmed his candidacy for the ABC presidential seat and is affiliated with Rama’s Partido Barug, said that if no major political developments come out to alter his candidacy, he may likely win the seat considering the number of village chiefs affiliated with Barug.
According to their count, Eran said there are 46 elected barangay captains who are allies of Barug, while there are 34 officials affiliated with other groups.
Rama, the founder of Barug, was reported earlier expressing his support for Ong to remain as ABC president.
However, Rama has publicly expressed that he will back Eran should he decide to vie for the presidential seat several times in 2022 and earlier this year.
Osmeña, in a text message to SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, said he has already assured Ong of his support.
The former mayor, who leads BOPK, said Ong is obligated to have a good working relationship for the good of the barangays, or else “Rama will fault him for his own blunders.”
Ong, in a Messenger chat with SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, confirmed he will be vying for the presidential position of ABC again.
“I have offered myself in public service for the past 13 years. As part of my quest in seeking where I can better serve the Cebuanos, I am again offering myself and my brand of service to our barangays in the upcoming LnB (Liga ng mga Barangay) Cebu City election,” Ong said.
Ong ran for vice mayor with former councilor Margot Osmeña as his running mate in the May 2022 elections but lost to Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.
Ong, as ABC president since 2018, has been serving as an ex-officio member for two Councils of Cebu City already.
Barug’s bet
Eran, in a text message to SunStar Cebu, said it was the party’s decision to field him for the presidential position.
Though the number of Barug-affiliated captains can be considered substantial, he said nothing is final yet.
“But you know the political complexities, especially since Mayor Mike declared (himself) as an independent mayor. We need the mayor’s support to win the election,” said Eran.
Rama’s support
Eran said Rama has been vocal in supporting him for his ABC presidency candidacy since 2022.
The Cogon Pardo chief said Rama first declared his support for him during a meeting in City Hall in June 2022 after the national and local elections.
The meeting was attended by Barug-allied barangay captains.
Rama had again expressed his support for Eran during a meeting with party stalwarts and all newly-elected City officials. Eran did not mention when the gathering happened.
Eran said the mayor again declared his support for him during a fiesta gathering at the mayor’s residence last June, Barangay captains affiliated with Barug were also present during that time.
Meanwhile, former councilor Dave Tumulak, who has been elected as new barangay chief of Basak Pardo, in a separate interview, said he has yet to decide if he would vie for the ABC presidency.
ABC elections
Ong had earlier stated that the conduct of ABC elections is usually scheduled 60 days from the day of the barangay elections. But this time, he said they will have to wait for advice from the Liga ng mga Barangay National Executive Committee and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
The candidate elected as ABC head will sit as an ex-officio member of the City Council.