Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who is currently under preventive suspension, has aligned with Kasambagan Barangay Captain and Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Franklyn Ong for the 2025 elections.
As this developed, Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and former Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) board chairman Jose Daluz III are expected to form a tandem for next year’s polls following the merger of their respective parties.
As the filing of the certificate of candidacy (COC) commenced on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, Cebu City’s local political landscape began to shape as new alliances and mergers appeared to strengthen each local political party’s aspirations in the next election.
On Tuesday morning, Oct. 1, the Partido Barug of Rama and the BagOng Sugbo of Ong forged a new alliance to help each other’s party in their election campaign.
The alliance was signed by Rama and Ong, together with incumbent Cebu City South District Rep. Eduardo “Edu” Rama Jr.
Ong has long been affiliated with the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) party of former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Barug-BagOng Sugbo
Rama and Acting Vice Mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros will run together for the 2025 midterm elections.
Ong and Congressman Rama, meanwhile, will run for Cebu City’s north and south districts, respectively.
“Saksi ang atong mga kaubanan sa nagka-alayon na nga kahugpongan, ang mas napalapdan pa nga Team Rama, lakip na ni Acting Vice Mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros pinaagi sa Zoom, kinsa mao na ang akong ka-tandem sa pagpasulbi sab isip Mayor sa pinalangga natong dakbayan,” said Rama.
(Our partners are witnesses of the alliance, the expanded Team Rama, including Acting Vice Mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros through Zoom, who is now my partner in reelection as mayor of our beloved city.)
Under the alliance, both parties will work together “to achieve a common goal of efficient and effective governance; commit to transparency, accountability and service to the community; and collectively aspire for a better, more livable and globally competitive Cebu City.”
The signing of the alliance was witnessed by several incumbent city officials including Councilors Phillip Zafra, Jocelyn Pesquera and Noel Wenceslao.
Jump ship
Ong, who has been affiliated with BOPK for some time, had a change of heart and was seen attending gatherings organized by Rama.
Ong, in an event called “Panagtigum” on Sept. 24, explained that he left BOPK and aligned with Partido Barug as he saw Rama’s genuine service to all, especially during typhoon Odette and the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also said during the event that after the May 2022 elections, the BOPK members were made to believe that “the party was no more.”
“After the last elections, from our side, during the time when I ran under the party, after that we were made to believe that the party was already no more and we are independent,” said Ong.
Ong’s statement seemed to piss off BOPK’s Osmeña, who clarified that the party has not been dissolved.
Osmeña even challenged Ong to run against him.
“I take this as demeaning to me. I really hope Franklyn runs against me. I’m pissed. I need the motivation. Let the Cebuanos do the dissolving,” said Osmeña in a text message to SunStar Cebu.
Former Sangguniang Kabataan Federation president Jessica Resch, meanwhile, had a similar response with Ong, stressing that they have the common goal of serving their Cebu City constituents and it does not matter which party they are affiliated with.
Resch was one of the probable candidates included in the lineup of councilors announced by Rama, together with Rama’s son Mikel, Colin Rosell, Maria Pino, Ernest Herrera, Jingjing Cabigon (Apas), Rey Lauron (Cambinocot), Gremar Barete (Buhisan) and Harry Eran (Cogon Pardo).
Another group of probable candidates vying for council seats were Mark “Mae Anne” Agipo, Karla Henry Ammann, Ian Hassamal, Melvin Legaspi, Rex Milan, Novie Abella, Ramon Alcoseba and Clyde Limpag.
Ong’s BagOng Sugbo is a grassroot movement created by the majority of the barangay captains.
Ong, who has been in public service for 13 years, was first elected as barangay councilor in 2010.
He was elected barangay captain in Kasambagan in 2018 and was later elected as ABC president in the same year.
He was reelected as barangay captain in October 2023 and defended his seat as well as the ABC presidency.
During the ABC election in 2023, both Osmeña and Rama supported him.
In the May 2022 election, Ong ran for vice mayor but lost to Garcia.
He ran alongside former councilor Margot Osmeña as mayor, wife of former mayor Osmeña.
Ong gathered a total votes of 222,722, or 41 percent, against the 283,235 votes, or 52 percent, of Garcia.
Kusug-Panaghiusa
With the merger of another two local political parties, the Kugi Uswag Sugbo (Kusug) and the Panaghiusa, Garcia of the Kusug Party said the alliance is looking for the possibility of him running as mayor and Daluz of the Panaghiusa Party as his tandem.
“We are looking into that possibility that I will be standard bearer and siya (Daluz) ang vice mayor para mahimong formidable team,” Garcia said in an interview on Tuesday, Oct. 1, during the launching of the Chong Hua Medical Mall.
“But we will announce it (the final slate) tomorrow (Oct. 2),” Garcia added.
He said Kusug-Panaghiusa has aligned with the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) of the current administration as their national party.
During the oath-taking and induction ceremony of Kusug officers on Sept. 23, Garcia was urged by his fellow party members and city councilors, who pledged their support for his candidacy as city mayor in next year’s election.
Daluz, a former city councilor, was previously speculated to run as mayor with former city councilor and Basak Pardo Barangay Captain Dave Tumulak as his vice mayor because of the tarpaulins posted on Cebu City streets.
Garcia said the party is looking at the possibility of fielding Congressman Rama to run under their slate in the south district, while Cebu City North District Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar is seeking reelection under the One Cebu Party and is aligned with Kusug.
However, Garcia said he would respect Congressman Rama’s decision to align with Barug.
On Sept. 30, the Kusug Party signed a “cooperation agreement” with three other major political parties in Metro Cebu and Cebu Province to unify behind a common political goal for the May 2025 midterm elections.
Acting Mayor Garcia of Kusug Party, Alayon-Nacionalista (NP) Party under Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas and the Kaabag Party headed by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan signed a cooperation agreement with the One Cebu Party, currently led by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, and the party’s solicitor general, Third District Rep. Pablo John “PJ” Garcia, during the party’s convention held on Monday, Sept. 30.
The Rama-Hontiveros tandem of Partido Barug-BagOng Sugbo, along with Garcia-Daluz of Kusug-Panaghiusa, is expected to face off against the team of City Councilor Nestor Archival, former Mayor Osmeña and former Bureau of Customs commissioner Yogi Ruiz.