Amatong “uneasy” of Way K’s vice gov bid for 2013; Navarro endorses Colina for VG

DEC 30/10-JAN 5, 2011

By Cha Monforte

Compostela Valley District 2 Congressman Rommel “Bobong” Amatong is reportedly “uneasy” this early  over the bid of the former Congressman Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora to run for vice governor by 2013 seeking a tandem with Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, political pundits said.

By 2013 polls the governor would by then be running for his third term  and chances are whoever sits as the vice governor would most possibly run for governor by 2016, the year when Uy and Amatong would end their respective terms and possibly run swapping each other’s post- Uy running for congressman and Amatong for governor.

By 2013 current Vice Governor Ramil Gentugaya would end his third term and Gov. Uy is reportedly facing a range of vice gubernatorial probables for 2013 to anoint:  former vice governor and current second-termer Boardmember Atty. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga, former Cong. Zamora, who is on political furlough after serving out his three terms, 2000 bartopnotcher and second-termer Boardmember Atty. Dexter Lopoz, and former Nabunturan Mayor Macario Humol, who is now working as one of the governor’s executive assistants in the provincial government following his three terms as mayor of the capital town.

However, pundits said that there is also this prospect of Congresswoman Maricar Zamora-Apsay vying for the vice gubernatorial post by 2013 with his father returning to vie for his former congressional post.

But Comval league of mayors president and Laak Mayor Rey Navarro is now all endorsing Maragusan Mayor Cesar Colina Sr to be a fitting vice gubernatorial tandem of Gov. Uy citing five reasons.

“Personally I’m endorsing Mayor Cesar Colina of Maragusan on the grounds of: 1. His closeness to Gov. Uy, 2. His experience as a Sangguniang Panlalawigan member, 3. His track record as local chief executive, 4. His proven business acumen, and more importantly, 5. His logistics and machinery which can supplement that of Governor Uy,” Mayor Navarro said in text message.

“If the mayors are consulted we will suggest that because the incumbent governor is from District 2, ideally the vice governor must come from District 1. Also, preferably the candidate is one among the local chief executives in the District 1,” Navarro added.

Pundits said that Cong. Amatong is reportedly “uneasy” over the prospect of Zamora’s getting of the vice gubernatorial pick “basig modagan siya pagka gov sa 2016 (as he might run for governor by 2016)”.

The option is well within Zamora’s right to aspire for new public office even as he has already his daughter  Maricar elected as District 1 congresswoman in the last May polls. But it matters most when he gets elected as vice governor by 2013 under the Uswag Comval provincial political aggrupation and officially serves as the political better-half of the governor towards 2016. The vice gubernatorial post is considered crucial in 2013 with big political implication by 2016.

The Valley & City Chronicle tried but failed to reach Gov. Uy and Mayor Colina for comments.

On his current political furlough, Zamora is observed to be always basing in Nabunturan as he is reportedly preoccupied in managing his sprawling cockfighting sports arena-resort business in town.

This as pundits said that senior Boardmember Joselito Brillantes and last-termer Mayor Manuel Brillantes would not be aspiring for any higher post as long as the mayorship of Monkayo is assured to be uncontested except by their sister Janet Brillantes-Diel, the barangay captain of Olaycon, Monkayo.

Meanwhile, Gentugaya has been reported to be always residing in Monkayo now. But Monkayo Vice Mayor Avelino Cabag earlier said that Gentugaya’s presence in town should not be not be given political meaning other than he is now taking in charge of their family’s business in town from his parents’ management. Other sources said that the vice governor has also engaged in cavendish banana farming of sizable hectarage in his town.

But the problem of Ramil if he chooses the lesser option of running as boardmember by 2013 polls is there is no vacancy for boardmember’s slot in the administration party with the five reelectionist boardmembers around- Lito Brillantes, Atty. Lopoz, Paul Galicia, Neri Barte and Heracleo Codilla, who is reportedly joining the Uswag Comval from being an independent election winner, unless Lopoz comes out to be the vice gubernatorial pick.

On the other hand, in the District 2, at least three possible boardmember’s posts would be vacated by 2013 with the scenario of having Boardmember Cesar Richa running for Maco mayor as Mayor Voltaire Rimando is serving his last term now, while second-termer Boardmember Moran Takasan might run for mayor in Pantukan given also the current last term of Mayor JC Celso “Tok” Sarenas.  Boardmember Ruben Flores is also in his third term. Remaining reelectionists are first-termer Boardmember Kristine Caballero and second-termer Gonzaga.

With the expected opening of more boardmember’s posts in the District 2 by 2013, the governor’s youngest son Jay Tyron Uy is given opportunity to run for boardmember under the administration’s slate, pundits said. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

Filed under: cong. rommel amatong, Janet Brillantes-Diel, Uncategorized, congressman rommel amatong, Janet Brillantes-Diel

Mayor Brillantes wish: a brgy captain as next Monkayo mayor

Oct 7-13, 2010

Last-termer Monkayo Mayor Manuel “Jun-Jun” Brillantes Jr is training his sight over the prospect that the next town mayor who would follow him by 2013 would be her own sister Janet Brillantes-Diel, who is the present barangay captain of Olaycon and the current ABC municipal president.

Monkayo Mayor Manuel "Jun-jun" Brillantes Jr

In an exclusive interview with the Valley & City Chronicle, he said that Diel has already a capable leadership who can continue the developments that he has been making since 2004 when he first ran and won as the mayor of the municipality that hosts the gold-rich and votes-rich Mt. Diwalwal.

He said that he is also focusing now on providing sustainable livelihood projects and social services for the people besides continuously putting in place infrastructures and policies that could drum up economic activities in his municipality.

“Monkayo now has the most number of gasoline stations throughout the province,” he said in apparently describing the comparative economic standing of Monkayo.

At the latest count, the town has eight competing gasoline stations. The capital town of Nabunturan has only six gasoline stations.

In his third term now, the mayor stands to have fattened municipal coffers with P185 million income by 2011 from P85 million when he assumed his first term in 2004.

As to his political career given that he is now on his last term, Mayor Brillantes said that he is more inclined to be in “private life”, “to go in full-time business.”

Asked for possible higher offices to vie for like to be in Congress, he said, “basig moabot ra na” referring to a political decision that is still so faraway from the present.

He also recalled that the defeated congressional bet and ex-police officer Cesar Mancao was advised earlier before the filing of the certificate of candidacy in the last May polls to instead gun for an assured boardmember’s post.

Mancao could have been enjoying a national limelight while being already boardmember, bringing the name of the province, he said.

In big margin of votes, Mancao was defeated by now District 1 Congresswoman Maricar Zamora-Apsay.

A report said that Mancao wanted for a return bout with Apsay by 2013.

Asked on his guess on last-termer Vice Governor Ramil Gentugaya, the mayor said he “could not yet read” the next political move of the vice governor this early.

Meantime and now, Mayor Brillantes continues to govern. (Rural Urban News/Cha Monforte)

Filed under: Janet Brillantes-Diel, monkayo politics, Janet Brillantes-Diel, monkayo politics