LAGAWE, IFUGAO- – It’s a three-cornered race for the mayoralty post in the capital town of Lagawe in the May 12, 2025 elections.
Contenders include former Ifugao governor Denis Habawel (Nacionalista Party), businesswoman Magdalena Dinamling (Partido Federal ng Pilipinas) and engineer Bambi Nayahangan (Nationalist People’s Coalition).
Aspirants for vice mayor are Marlon Buccahan (PFP) and Jun Dangayo (NPC). The vice mayor will preside over the Sangguniang Bayan.
This is indeed a story of a long-storied journey and started somehow weeks before the period for filing the certificate of candidacy (CoC).
Whatever the outcome of this hotly-contested polls, a new mayor as well as a new vice-mayor shall emerge and take the reins of power by June 1 in this part of the province. Or so it seems.
There are 19 candidates for councilor. Sangguniang Bayan hopefuls includingVilmaAlcanya, Tejano Balinan, Marlon Bandao, Boone Buhong, Marconi Bumanghat, Godfrey Dominong, Eric Dugyon, AnjieGuinid, Reynold Kimayong, HomaLiwayan, Jan Gulf Luglug, Wilfredo Lunag, Christy Martin, Julio Paud, Jansen Roldan, Victor Tayaban, Tomas Towanna Jr., Manuel Tuguinay and Neil Wangiwang. Eight seats are at stake in the municipal council.
Apart from the political comeback of Habawel, a University of the Philippines- educated distinguished lawyer who served as governor from 2013 to 2016, another development caught many by surprise with the decision of incumbent Vice Mayor Kimayong to slide down and instead take a crack for a councilor’s slot. Many assumed he’s running for mayor.
The contest to land in the SB’s so-called “magic 8” ranking drew the interest of incumbent aldermen, come backing ones, first-time bets, lesser-known wannabes and even barangay council officials. This is a smorgasbord of new, seemingly new and nothing new candidates. Many folks were immediately struck by the entry of three women candidates for councilor. Accelerating and ensuring women’s equitable participation and representation in the municipal council is essential. Part of the bigger task ahead is empowering women to optimize their contribution to development. Powerless and voiceless women inhabitants of the town should be given the chance to air their voices through women legislators whom they think can best represent them, and not rely on the whims of a male-dominated law-making body.
Twenty barangays comprise the farming town of Lagawe. Two years ago, Lagawe had 13,064 registered voters.
Poverty incidence remains a major concern of most folks. Unemployment rate is high in the main section- composed of four villages, of the town as well as in remote barangays. Farmers are poor and subsistence farming is prevalent in far-flung villages.
The forthcoming polls is easily seen as a litmus test for both of those who are seeking the top two positions and the electorate. Given their background and qualifications, well-meaning, educated concerned residents should keep pushing forward the agenda of voting wisely on Election Day.
“This coming electoral exercise is important for us. Hopefully, we can choose good and competent candidates,” a Barangay Cudog women’s organization leader who asked not to be identified said. “To ensure economic growth, Lagawe needs a dedicated champion of micro, small and medium enterprises,” she added.
Lack of scrutiny of the candidates’ qualifications, platforms and agenda would necessarily lead to lack of an “enlightened choice” on May 12, ultimately leading to a “flawed decision” when it comes to charting Lagawe’s path in the next three years. Thus, it behooves Lagawe voters to avoid backing up incompetent candidates not only because they are likely to experience untold and irreparable hardships, but also because their loved ones and countless others might experience that same fate should that terrible consequence occurs at an uncertain time. To effectuate some remedies, engagements such as debates and town hall meetings are needed.
A landmark provision on the prohibition of premature campaigning to local bets before March 28 took effect immediately after they filed their CoCs. Asking why poverty persist, however, is not a violation. One of the major reasons that the CoC filing was conducted was to prepare voters ahead of time, to guide them on why there is a need to weed out corruption and on how to help so many people in pitiful situations, especially those below the poverty line.
Several folks have been warning the public to be wary of vote-buying schemes of moneyed politicians that come in many forms and have been around for years. Comelec officers worry that the realities of vote-buying actions of wayward politicians is really a problem, they are able to get away with the so-called lowly-educated, cash-starved “bobotantes” easy takers of a few hundreds of pesos, which is really troubling.
Adherence to all other Comelec regulations made possible by the candidates can result in the conduct of honest, orderly and peaceful elections. But like in other places, Lagawe candidates will do all they can to win in their eyed posts. But not to engage in fraud and other illegal acts.
An inept official is not just a product of a run-of-the-mill university nor a self-anointed Leader from heaven. He or she ends up being addressed as “Honorable” due to repetition. There is such a thing as “re-election” bid. Also, there is truth that gullible folks- who say “let’s just vote for them even if they’re non-performing assets and let them graduate,” holds sway during elections.
Lagawe is perhaps at the crossroads of a critical time in history, with appealing possibilities. For one, there are three good choices for mayor. In short, the message is clear. Voters’ next move: make the most of it!
The stakes are so high. There is unpararelled opportunity to make a turnaround. Providing service to all its residents equally is highly called for. Strengthening the “next” mayor and the private sector is the “centerpiece” of Lagawe’s economic transformation drive thus, the “incoming” chief executive, for example, must prioritize agriculture projects to empower and strengthen the economy. This can only happen if the “new” mayor has a pro-farmer mindset and agriculture becomes profitable. **By Anthony A. Araos
