MICHAEL Rama, who lost the Cebu City mayoral race, cannot believe his lower vote count in the 2025 midterm elections, a figure that contrasts with his previous electoral performances where he consistently garnered over 200,000 votes.
He described the result as “statistically impossible” and a sign that people had “forgotten him.”
In his first bid for mayor in 2010, Rama received 210,520 votes — he won.
Three years later, he sought a second term against Tomas Osmeña, and he won against his former ally, beating him with 215,425 votes.
In 2016, Rama lost to Osmeña, but he still managed to obtain 232,925 votes.
Rama ran again for mayor in 2022 and defeated Osmeña’s wife, Margarita, with 239,656 votes. However, he failed to complete his term as he was preventively suspended then dismissed from office by the Ombudsman for various violations in 2024.
In the 2025 midterm elections, Rama ran for mayor, facing four rivals: Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, Rama’s successor; Councilor Nestor Archival; Yogi Filemon Ruiz; and Julieto Co.
This time, Rama failed to reach 200,000 votes. He placed third in the election won by Archival, who got 256,197 votes. Garcia placed second with 176,967, while Ruiz and Co got 27,652 and 3,162, respectively.
“The 120,124 votes so far, is the lowest number of votes which… I have garnered,” Rama said.
Following the recent election results, Rama has called for electoral reform, advocating for a hybrid election system that combines both automated and manual vote counting to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
He also expressed hope that the Commission on Elections would acknowledge his election protest, which was filed on Thursday, May 22. (EHP)