At LEAST 35 mayors across Cebu are seeking reelection in the midterm elections on May 12, 2025. Among them, five, including two first-time aspirants, are already assured of victory as they are running unopposed.
SunStar Cebu compiled an unofficial list on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, from available Facebook postings of local Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials and announcements by aspirants who filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) in the province.
The five mayors running unopposed are Rajiv Enad of Minglanilla, Mytha Ann Canoy of San Fernando, and Pablo John Garcia IV of Barili. First-time aspirants Christian Daniel Diamante of Tuburan and Chantili Ann Victoria Blanco of Ronda are also running without opponents.
In Cebu’s six component cities, the mayors seeking reelection are Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. of Talisay City, Mario Patricio “Patrick” Barcenas of Carcar City and Marjorie “Joie” Perales of Toledo City.
Meanwhile, Danao City Mayor Thomas Mark “Mix” Durano is running for the fifth district’s congressional seat. No Comelec postings were available for the cities of Naga and Bogo.
Out of the 44 municipalities, at least 32 mayors are running for another term. The status of the mayors in 12 local government units was not yet available as of press time.
Highly urbanized cities
Newly appointed Cebu City mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has filed his COC for mayor. His former ally, dismissed mayor Michael Rama, has also filed his COC, seeking another term.
Dismissed Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes has also filed his COC for a new term.
The candidacies of Cortes and Rama remain in limbo, as the Office of the Ombudsman has disqualified them from holding public office after it found them guilty of various offenses. Both politicians have challenged the anti-graft office’s rulings before the Supreme Court.
List
SunStar Cebu visited the Comelec 7 office on Wednesday and requested for an official list of candidates who filed their COCs in Cebu Province.
However, the final data was unavailable due to the ongoing submission of records from various municipalities to the Cebu Provincial office.
The Comelec 7 released an initial list of individuals who filed their COCs during the filing period on Oct. 1-8.
A total of 2,401 aspirants in Central Visayas (Cebu and Bohol) have filed for various elective local positions.
Comelec 7 Director Francisco Pobe said the list is still subject to verification and clarifications, including the spelling of the aspirants’ names.
Eight aspirants filed COCs in Bohol and 24 in Cebu for seats in the House of Representative.
A total of three aspirants have filed for governor in both Bohol and Cebu, while for the vice governor position, three candidates are running in Bohol and two in Cebu.
For Provincial Board positions, 22 aspirants have filed in Bohol and 26 in Cebu.
At the municipal level, 108 aspirants are running for mayor in Bohol and 117 in Cebu, while 99 have filed for vice mayor in Bohol and 97 in Cebu.
For municipal board member positions, 893 aspirants are running in Bohol and 996 in Cebu. / CDF