Incumbents, name recall dominate Kalinga election

By Geraldine G. Dumallig

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Incumbents and   familiar names dominated the 2013 election in the province.

Among those reelected was Rep. Manuel S. Agyao who got 68,279 votes to his contender, lawyers Macario Duguiang’s 35,233.

Kalinga Gov. Jocel Baac also won with 63,213 votes over candidate Conrado Dieza Jr. who got 33,498 votes. 

Vice Gov. Allen Jesse Mangaoang is also re-elected with 52,140 votes over Farnaw Claver who got 45,586 votes.

Reelected for provincial board for District 1were Dave Odiem and Chester Alunday with newly elected Alonzo Saclag Jr. who is from a prominent  family in Lubuagan and Emilio Kitongan, a councilor from Pasil.

For District 2, the members of the board included re-electionist Gelacio Bongngat with former Tabuk City Mayor Camilo Lammawin Jr., Mark Aldrich Diasen, son of the late and former Vice Governor Rommel Diasen and former Gov. Floydelia Diasen, and lawyer Jerry Puday, son of former Board Member William Puday.

In the municipal level, most of the incumbents are  also retained like in Balbalan where the election was dominated by re-electionist Mayor Kenneth Dale Mangaoang and Vice Mayor Eric Gonayon. 

So  with Lubuagan’s incumbent mayor Johnny Dickpus and incumbent Vice Mayor Elizabeth Pallogan.

In Pasil, mayor James Edduba was unopposed   but this time with a new vice mayor in the person of Ellen Malannag, an incumbent Sangguniang Bayan member.

The electoral race in Pinukpuk was also name recall as the people voted lawyer Jimmy Dasayon, son of incumbent mayor Irving Dasayon who ran unopposed this election as vice mayor.

In Rizal, Kalinga, incumbent mayor Marcelo dela Cruz Jr. and incumbent vice mayor Renato Vicente were also re-elected.

For Tanudan, incumbent mayor Johnwell Tiggangay   was given a  fresh mandate  with Pedro Codiam as the new vice mayor.

In Tinglayan,  former mayor Johnny Maymaya  won over incumbent mayor Fernando Abay. Elected vice mayor  is  Donato Gayyaman Jr., also a political figure in said municipality.

In Tabuk City, the people  have chosen incumbent mayor Engr. Ferdinand Tubban over former congressman Lawrence Wacnang. Incumbent vice mayor Darwin Estrañero was unopposed.

Despite the reported military and communist dissident armed conflicts, the election process in the province  was generally peaceful with an estimated 70.1% voters turn out.

Among the observed concerns were mostly technical which include delay and failure of voters report transmittal and corrupted compact flash cards.