Action star Robin Padilla leads senatorial election

May 10, 2022 | 8:19 pm

ACTION star Robinhood Ferdinand “Robin” C. Padilla is on his way to topping this year’s senatorial election, getting about 26.3 million votes as of Tuesday afternoon, according to a partial and unofficial tally from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) server.

About 98% of the votes had been tallied as of 5 p.m.

Close behind was Antique Rep. Lorna Regina “Loren” B. Legarda with 23.9 million votes, followed by TV journalist Rafael “Raffy” T. Tulfo with 23.09 million votes.

In fourth place was reelection Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian with 20.31 million votes, followed by Sorsogon Governor Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero with 19.98 million.

Former Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar was No. 6 with 19.13 million, followed by Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter S. Cayetano (19.02 million), reelection Senators Juan Miguel F. Zubiri (18.51 million) and Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva (18.25 million), former Senator Joseph Victor G. Ejercito (15.64 million), Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel (15.23 million) and former Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada (14.92 million).

Nine of the top 12 senatorial bets are connected with Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. who is headed for a landslide presidential victory. Mr. Cayetano and Mr. Tulfo are independent candidates, while Ms. Hontiveros is affiliated with the political opposition.

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, who ranked third in the unofficial vice-presidential election, led the ceremonial acceptance of the certificates of canvass and election returns that were arriving at the Senate on Tuesday evening.

Comelec expects to proclaim the winning senators this week, Election Commissioner Marlon S. Casquejo told a news briefing in Filipino.

At the start of canvassing on Monday, Mr. Sotto and Speaker Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco said both chambers were ready to count the votes for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates. They were eyeing to proclaim the new president and vice-president May 27 or 28.

Comelec said this year’s election results had been transmitted faster than in past elections.

“It’s because of the improved and upgraded equipment and system so as to prevent the 2019 scenario,” Election Commissioner George Erwin M. Garcia told reporters in a Viber message, citing a glitch in the 2019 mid-term elections that caused a seven-hour delay in the transmission of votes.

Comelec had received as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday about 98% of election returns sent from 106,174 precincts.

“We expected that the transmission of results would really be faster since we used new technology after the 2019 elections,” Election Commissioner Marlon S. Casquejo told a news briefing.

The election body also started its random manual audit on Tuesday, randomly selecting precincts to verify if vote-counting machines counted votes correctly, according to a live-streamed video on its Facebook page.

Meanwhile, the Comelec full court on Tuesday reconvened as the National Board of Canvassers, after temporarily suspending its session while waiting for votes to get transmitted.

The seven-member en banc will validate the certificates of canvass of votes for senatorial and party-list candidates, and will officially proclaim the winners after. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan and John Victor D. Ordoñez

Perks approved for P17-billion upgrades to Hanjin shipyard

May 10, 2022 | 7:29 pm

subic-Hanjin-shipyard-PHILSTARFILE — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE PROJECT to redevelop the shuttered Hanjin shipyard in Subic has been granted fiscal incentives on P17 billion in planned upgrades to the facility by the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB), the Department of Finance (DoF) said.

The incentives were endorsed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and received the backing of Finance Secretary and FIRB chairman Carlos G. Dominguez III, the DoF said in a statement Tuesday.

Mr. Dominguez cited the shipyard redevelopment project’s “economic potential, given its strategic location near the West Philippine Sea.”

He said the incentives include a special corporate income tax (SCIT), a value-added tax (VAT) and duty exemption on imports, and VAT zero-rating on local purchases.

“We expect the project to create jobs in the adjacent communities, increase economic activity as well as support the national government’s economic recovery efforts,” Mr. Dominguez was quoted as saying. “The resumption of operations in the shipyard will also prompt development and productivity in the area, which can attract more investment opportunities into the country.”

Hanjin Shipyard, formerly owned by the now-bankrupt South Korean company Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC-Phil), was acquired by US private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management for $300 million.

The DoF also said the benefits of an upgraded shipyard include its use by the Philippine Navy (PN) and its potential to attract export locators.

The PN will occupy the northern area of the yard, according to a Government Service Insurance Service Bid Bulletin.

“It will be beneficial, specifically to the Navy, as it will involve the safety and efficiency of the Philippine government ships’ performance and, consequently, strengthen national security,” the DoF said. — Tobias Jared Tomas

PPA revises estimate for Davao Sasa Port dev’t cost to P7.37B

May 10, 2022 | 7:29 pm

Sasa-Ferry-wharf-BW-FILE-LSDAVALJR — BW FILE PHOTO

THE PHILIPPINE Ports Authority (PPA) has revised the development cost of the Port of Sasa in Davao to P7.37 billion from the previous estimate of P9.88 billion.

The cost revision follows changes to the port development plan, the agency said in a bid bulletin posted on its official website.

At the same time, it revised the minimum concession fee for the duration of 20 years to P8.63 billion from P8.68 billion previously. This is exclusive of all taxes.

“The minimum concession fee for the first year is likewise revised to P261.09 million, exclusive of all taxes,” it added. The previously announced minimum concession fee for one year, exclusive of all taxes, was P262.41 million.

The construction cost estimate was downgraded after the removal of some items from the terms of reference, including the provision of roughing in for a shore power facility; construction of the shore power facility; and the repair and maintenance of existing concrete pavement, building fixtures, electrical systems, drainage system, and other existing facilities.

A representative of the PPA told BusinessWorld in a phone message that joint venture of Globalport Terminals, Inc. and Globalport Ozamiz Terminal, Inc. is the lone bidder for the Port of Sasa project.

The deadline for the submission of bids and bid opening was May 5.

Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. was awarded original proponent status in 2019 after turning in an unsolicited offer to modernize Sasa port.

PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago said in September last year that the proposal was still being evaluated by the National Economic and Development Authority.

Bidding out the contract was an option, he said, because the proponent had concerns about the length of the process. Chelsea Logistics President and Chief Executive Officer Chryss Alfonsus V. Damuy also said last year that the company could “explore any option depending on how it can be repackaged.”

The PPA is hoping to complete and inaugurate 31 more port projects before President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s term ends on June 30.

Since 2016, the government has completed 585 port projects, large and small, according to PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago. — Arjay L. Balinbin

DBM says over 85% of budget released at end-April

May 10, 2022 | 7:28 pm

THE DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM) said Tuesday that it had released over P4 trillion in budget funds to government agencies and local government units as of the end of April.

In the DBM’s Allotment Releases report for April, the P4.3 trillion in funds released was equivalent to 85.6% of the 2022 budget, leaving P723.26 billion remaining to be distributed.

At the end of April 2021, the DBM had released P3.6 trillion, or a little over 80% of the P4.5-trillion budget that year.

In April 2022, releases to government agencies and departments amounted to P2.72 trillion, representing 94.5% of the funds allotted to them.

Meanwhile, Special Purpose (SP) funds released during the month amounted to P173.75 billion, or 38% of the SP budget.

SP items include budget support for local government units, the Contingent Fund, the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund.

Automatic Appropriation releases amounted to P1.27 trillion, representing 75.8% of the allocated total.

These automatic appropriations include retirement and life insurance premiums, the internal revenue allotment, block grants, and interest payments.

The national budget for 2022 is configured to support a recovery from the pandemic. The budget is equal to 21.8% of the projected gross domestic product, with about a fifth set aside for capital outlays, which includes infrastructure spending. — Tobias Jared Tomas

March wholesale price growth at highest since 2011

May 10, 2022 | 7:28 pm

VEGETABLES — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

WHOLESALE price growth of general goods in March continued to approach levels not seen in over a decade due to rising commodity prices in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war and the latest lockdowns in China.

The general wholesale price index (GWPI) rose 7.6% year-on-year in March, accelerating from the 5.6% increase posted in February and the year-earlier 2.8%, according to preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The March reading was the highest since the 8.2% growth posted in Oct. 2011.

The GWPI tracks the wholesale trade sector and serves as a benchmark for price adjustments in business contracts and project costing.

Seven of eight commodity categories posted year-on-year price growth gains in March. The food index, with a 36.8% weighting on the wholesale basket, accounted for 3.1 percentage points (ppts.) of GWPI growth after posting an 8.2% increase in March, accelerating from 4.9% in February.

Price growth in manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials rose 7.3% in March from 6.6% in February. This category had a 20% weighting on the basket and accounted for 1.4 ppts of GWPI growth.

Mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials, with a 3.2% weighting on the wholesale basket, posted price growth of 45.3% in March from 37.7% in February. This category was responsible for 1.3 ppts. of GWPI growth.

Other commodities where price growth picked up were chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats (8.5% in March from 6.1% in February); machinery and transport equipment (2.4% from 1.9%); crude materials, inedible except fuels (29.2% from 26.7%); and miscellaneous manufactured articles (1.5% from 0.9%).

Price growth in beverages and tobacco eased to 4% from 4.1% a month earlier.

Wholesale price inflation in Luzon outpaced the national average with a reading of 8.2% in March, against a 5.9% reading in February and the year-earlier 2.9%. The March reading for Luzon was the highest since the 8.4% outcome in Nov. 2011.

GWPI growth in the Visayas picked up to 4.1% in March from 3.5% previously and the year-earlier decline of 0.6%. Price acceleration was the strongest since the 4.2% rise posted in Sept. 2011.

The gains in the Mindanao GWPI slowed to 3%, from the 3.2% in February. The March level was the lowest since the 2.8% posted in Jan. 2021.

ING Bank N.V. Manila Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa attributed the rise in bulk prices levels to the global increase in commodity prices.

“The ongoing Ukraine war is causing spikes in food and commodity prices. The slowdown in China is also affecting global supply chains,” Mr. Mapa said in an e-mail interview.

In February, Russia invaded Ukraine, sending global oil prices to multiyear highs on concern over sanctions on Russia, which might render it unable to export energy.

Meanwhile, China implemented in late March its most extensive lockdown since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, which disrupted global supply chains.

“GWPI trends point to a similar acceleration in CPI (consumer price index) inflation in the near term as global commodity prices edge higher,” Mr. Mapa said.

Headline inflation rose to a six-month high of 4% in March as price growth in food, utilities, and transport picked up.

In a separate e-mail, Union Bank of the Philippines Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion attributed the growth to the reopening of the economy following the easing of quarantine restrictions.

“These numbers are reflecting the continuing re-opening of the economy. We think that pent-up demand is fueling demand across the board of the economy. We expect this to continue in the medium-term,” he said.

Since March, Metro Manila and other provinces have been under the most permissive form of quarantine, known as Alert Level 1, as new coronavirus cases continued to drop.

Mr. Mapa expects the trend to continue for the whole year.

“Expect GWPI and CPI inflation to sustain the upward trend for the rest of the year, whittling down purchasing power and increasing the cost of production,” he said. — Mariedel Irish U. Catilogo

Go Negosyo mentoring program to be expanded across ASEAN region

May 10, 2022 | 7:28 pm

A MENTORSHIP program for small businesses organized by Go Negosyo will be expanded across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. A. Concepcion III said.

Mr. Concepcion said in a statement Tuesday that the program, ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurship Network (AMEN), will be implemented across ASEAN after obtaining a $333,943 grant from the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) in March. Go Negosyo has yet to announce the specific date of the program’s start.

“With AMEN moving to its second phase, our small entrepreneurs can scale up to the regional level, and we increase and expand our network of mentors. It is a great leap forward for the mentorship advocacy started by Go Negosyo,” Mr. Concepcion said.

“What this means is that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can learn from other small entrepreneurs and mentors across the region, and vice-versa. Mentors can also exchange knowledge and learn from each other on a regional scale,” he added.

Go Negosyo said the second phase will involve a 10-module mentorship program that will be translated to the languages of ASEAN member countries. It aims to forge public-private partnerships to develop and mobilize mentors dedicated to help the growth of ASEAN small businesses.

It added that the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on MSMEs will provide oversight for the project.

“There will also be a bigger pool of mentors from the entire ASEAN region, and will have mentoring exercises for both mentors and mentees from all 10 ASEAN member-countries,” Go Negosyo said.

“The implementation of an ASEAN-wide mentorship program will also become an opportunity for the region to standardize knowledge. This cooperation becomes more crucial as the region continues its economic integration into a single market and production base,” it added.

Launched in 2017, the AMEN project seeks to institute a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) system that will help micro- and small enterprises (MSEs) access money, markets and mentorship which can help them scale up their operations and improve their profitability and sustainability. The project is supported by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship.

The first phase of the AMEN project began in March 2019 and concluded in Dec. 2019. It utilized a grant worth $347,396 from the JAIF and had an initial pool of 48 mentors from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

“The first phase used a 10-module mentorship program that was vetted in both the public and private sectors of all 10 ASEAN member-countries, including the 127 selected mentees from the same pilot-countries,” Go Negosyo said.

According to Go Negosyo Senior Adviser for MSME Development Merly M. Cruz, the project will build capacity among MSEs across the ASEAN region.

“With effective mentoring, MSEs will be guided and directed towards solutions that will cut losses for them and, more importantly, allow their businesses to stay relevant and profitable in the face of these challenges,” Ms. Cruz said.

“Most MSEs are content as long as they keep earning. This attitude lowers the probability that small entrepreneurs will scale up their operations. Mentoring bridges this gap,” she added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Dar expecting new gov’t to raise agri budget

May 10, 2022 | 7:28 pm

AGRICULTURE Secretary William D. Dar said he expects the next administration to raise spending on the agriculture sector and raise his department’s budgets accordingly.

“I believe that the next administration will have that political will, that ability to give the top most priority (to) the sector of agriculture and the budget would be the level of double (or triple) the present budget,” he said in a briefing.

“The counting is not yet over but indications are that a Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. presidency is in the offing…We would like to congratulate the 17^th President of the Republic of the Philippines. We must unite and support the presidency of Mr. Marcos,” he added.

In response to Mr. Marcos’ proposal to bring down rice prices to P20 per kilogram, Mr. Dar said that it was likely he meant palay, or unmilled rice.

“I surmise that the P20 per kilo rice is for palay not for rice. We have a present farmgate price of palay which is P19, so increasing that to P20 is very viable,” he said.

Mr. Dar said that the succeeding agriculture secretary will take on the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) 10-year modernization plan, which represents the next phase of the current “OneDA” reform agenda.

The National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan (NAFMIP) aims to improve the resilience of agri-fishery communities and the quality of life of farmers and fisherfolk.

The plan will need funding of P2.5 trillion over the course of 10 years.

“There will be many other agenda items for the upcoming administration,” he said.

“The incoming administration will hopefully consider this NAFMIP strategy plan for the next 10 years to unleash the potential of Filipino agriculture,” he added.

Mr. Dar also said that the agriculture sector needs more support from the public and private sectors and more bilateral agreements with other countries to deal with the global food crisis. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Comelec throws out disqualification suits vs Bongbong Marcos

May 10, 2022 | 7:21 pm

Presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is seen at the miting de avance in Paranaque City, May 7. — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) has rejected four separate motions seeking to reverse a division ruling allowing former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. to run for president this year.

In a 30-page decision, the Comelec full court said the plaintiffs had failed to provide “any solid ground” to bar the presidential run of Mr. Marcos, who is headed for a landslide victory.

The lawsuits were anchored on Mr. Marcos’s conviction in the 1990s for failing to file income tax returns.

“A careful review of the motions for reconsideration reveals that they failed to raise new matters that would warrant the reversal of the assailed resolution,” according to a copy of the decision. The motions were just a rehash of old arguments, it added.

“I expect the decision to be brought to the Supreme Court,” Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a senior research fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University Policy Center, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “The case can be a hovering threat to the presidency of Marcos.

“There will always be that thought that a Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio can emulate the path of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and have a nine-year stay at the presidency.”

Ms. Arroyo as vice-president succeeded then President Joseph E. Estrada after his ouster by a popular street uprising in Jan. 2001, three years short of a Philippine president’s single six-year term. She served six more years as president after winning in 2004 amid allegations of cheating.

Human rights group Kapatid, one of the petitioners, in a statement said it would appeal the Comelec ruling before the Supreme Court.

Hansley A. Juliano, a former political science professor studying at Nagoya University’s Graduate School of International Development in Japan, said the Comelec decision does not solve credibility issues.

“As much as we want to believe the impartiality and integrity of Comelec, its entire composition and behavior were not at all credible in the past months, staffed as it is with identified administration allies,” he said in a Messenger chat.

The en banc decision favoring Mr. Marcos affirmed a ruling by Commissioner Aimee P. Ferolino, who in February said there is no law punishing one’s failure to file income tax returns.

The Second Division rejected a similar petition in January as it ruled Mr. Marcos did not mislead the public when he said in his certificate of candidacy that he was eligible to run for president.

Ms. Ferolino had been accused of delaying one of the cases. She denied the allegations and said it was a minor issue that would not affect the credibility of the commission as a whole.

Retired Election Commissioner Maria Rowena V. Guanzon had accused her of delaying the case so her vote for disqualification would not count. She also said a senator from Davao was meddling in the case. — J.V.D. Ordoñez

Probes sought on election irregularities; Catholic Church, opposition call for calm vigilance

May 10, 2022 | 7:20 pm

Protest-20220510-PHILSTAR-EDD-GUMBAN — POLICE officers stand guard in front of the Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, Manila on May 10 as various groups stage a protest against the May 9 election results. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

A GLOBAL human rights watchdog has called on international observers to probe reports of irregularities and violence during Monday’s elections.

“The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) urges the international community to examine the integrity of the process and the widespread irregularities when assessing the outcomes, which at this point is an unofficial decisive win by the Marcos-Duterte campaign,” ICHRP said in a statement on Tuesday, referring to the tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

The tandem for the country’s top positions is currently leading by wide margins in unofficial and partial results.

The group earlier said the International Observer Mission would provide independent monitoring of the May 9 elections, starting in February up to June when elected candidates are confirmed.

The watchdog’s campaign seeks to record instances of election-related violence, red-tagging, and vote-buying.

It noted that multiple instances of malfunctioning vote-counting machines, vote-buying, and violence were reported to the group on election day.

“The International Observer Mission continues to monitor post-election, and is calling on the peace and democracy-loving international community to do the same,” the group said.

The group added that widespread fake news and instances of illegal campaigning may also affect the integrity of the elections’ outcome.

Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker Rufus B. Rodriguez also called for an investigation on the failure of voting equipment in several polling centers to identify possible legislative measures that will deter a repeat of the problems in future elections.

“We owe it to our voters to investigate these reports and recommend remedial measures, either via legislation or administrative sanctions or penalties to be imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on responsible personnel and or its automation service provider, Smartmatic,” he said in a statement.

Mr. Rodriguez, who won another term for the 2^nd District of Cagayan de Oro City, said the malfunctioning vote-counting machines and secure digital (SD) or memory cards had caused disenfranchisement among thousands of voters.

He said the election body and the contractor failed to address what were supposedly anticipated problems.

“There has to be a solution,” Mr. Rodriguez said, noting the need for transparency on the number of failed counting machines, polling areas with defective equipment, actions taken and the number of voters affected.

“Our voters should not go through this sad, unfortunate, and totally avoidable experience again in future elections,” he said.

Election Commissioner George Erwin Garcia told reporters in a Viber message that common issues encountered on election day were paper jams, rejected ballots and vote-counting machines not printing returns properly.

“Our vote-counting machines are a bit old and every machine has a life-span,” he said. “We will change these machines in 2025.”

As of 12 p.m. Tuesday, the number of defective vote-counting machines replaced was 915, while 469 SD cards were regenerated during the conduct of Monday’s elections, Election Commissioner Marlon S. Casquejo told a news briefing.

He pointed out that this is just 0.8% of total machines deployed on election day.

PROTESTS
Various groups trooped to the Comelec office in Manila on Tuesday to express their rejection of a Marcos-Duterte victory and alleged election fraud.

Among those who rallied, members of human rights group Karapatan, said on Twitter: “Karapatan joins hundreds of groups today in Intramuros to assert the people’s rejection of the Marcos-Duterte tandem and the fraudulent 2022 elections.”

Leaders of the Catholic Church and the opposition group 1Sambayanan have called for calm, especially among supporters of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo who is at a far second in the unofficial presidential tally.

“Let’s respect the rule of the majority from a relatively peaceful, clean and credible election. That’s appreciation of the democratic ideals of the foundation of sovereign popular will and rule of law,” said priest Anton CT Pascual, head of Radio Veritas owned by the Archdiocese of Manila.

He also noted that other Catholic leaders have earlier called for faith and respect in the electoral exercise. The Philippines is a Catholic-majority country.

The group 1Sambayanan, which endorsed Ms. Robredo and her running mate Senator Francis N. Pangilinan, appealed for “calm and sobriety” while the results are being validated.

“We extoll our members and the Filipino people to remain vigilant and go through the process, no matter how long or tedious it may be,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Now is not the time to foment confusion but to pool our resources and talents… to ascertain the true will and voice of the people.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez and Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

Several incumbent mayors win reelection bid

May 10, 2022 | 7:20 pm

Sotto-Vico-VICO-SOTTO-FACEBOOK-PAGE — VICO SOTTO FACEBOOK PAGE

SEVERAL mayors in Metro Manila, composed of 16 cities and one municipality, are set to serve another three-year term after winning their reelection bids based either on partial and unofficial results or the official count.

Local boards of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have already started proclamations for local positions across the country.

Pasig City Mayor Victor Regis “Vico” N. Sotto and Quezon City Mayor Maria Josefina “Joy” G. Belmonte were among those who won a fresh mandate.

Mar-len Abigail “Abby” S. Binay was voted for a third term as mayor of Makati City, based on partial and unofficial results from the Comelec with 100% of election returns transmitted.

Mr. Sotto garnered 335,851 votes from 612 clustered precincts, which was a landslide victory over Pasig City Vice Mayor Christian “Iyo” C. Bernardo’s 45,604, according to data from the Comelec transparency server.

In his first term as mayor, Mr. Sotto was awarded last year as one of the International Anti-Corruption Champions by the United States government for his campaign against corrupt practices.

Ms. Belmonte secured another term by receiving 617,908 votes against Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Michael “Mike” T. Defensor, also a former representative of the city, who got 389,336 votes.

Comelec data showed that Quezon City had the highest number of registered voters in Metro Manila with 1.4 million.

Ms. Binay, meanwhile, will be serving a third and final term with a landslide victory of 338,819 votes against Joel Hernandez who only got 16,640 votes.

OTHER CITIES
In other major cities outside the capital region, several incumbents also won another three years in office.

These include Baguio’s Benjamin P. Magalong, Laoag’s Michael Marcos Keon, Iloilo City’s Jerry P. Treñas, and Cebu City’s Michael L. Rama who won as vice mayor in 2019 but took over the mayor’s seat last year after the late Edgardo C. Labella first went on sick leave.

In Dagupan City, on the other hand, Mayor Marc Brian C. Lim lost to a former mayor and longtime political rival, Belen T. Fernandez.

Mr. Lim has congratulated Ms. Fernandez in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

“Our people have spoken, to which I owe the highest regard. I congratulate Mayor-elect Belen Fernandez, and the newly-elected officials of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. I wish them all the best during their term, as I similarly wish that they continue all the programs and projects we have started,” he said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez and Marifi S. Jara

Gov. Yap loses bid for 2^nd term in Bohol, to quit local politics

May 10, 2022 | 7:20 pm

BOHOL Governor Arthur C. Yap has conceded as unofficial results show he lost in his bid for a second term by a wide margin to one of the province’s congressional representatives.

“We have fought the good fight and the people have spoken,” Mr. Yap, who ran under the PDP-Laban party, said in a statement posted on his official Facebook page early Tuesday.

The governor, who previously won three terms as representative of Bohol’s 3^rd District and was secretary of agriculture under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, said he is quitting local politics.

“To all who supported me in my political journey, I will forever be grateful to all of you even as I announce the closure of my involvement in local politics.”

The incoming governor is incumbent Bohol 2^nd District Rep. Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado, who had 469,312 votes against Mr. Yap’s 283,599, based on 99.88% of returns collated by ABS-CBN through the Commission on Election’s transparency media server.

Mr. Aumentado won three consecutive terms in the House of Representatives beginning 2013. He was a principal author of several approved laws, including the Balik Scientist Act, Salary Standardization Law of 2020, and the Retail Trade Liberalization Act.

Bohol’s local economy, mainly driven by agriculture and tourism, was badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic and last year’s typhoon Odette or known internationally as Rai. — MSJ

Election trash

May 10, 2022 | 7:19 pm

Posters-CEBU-CITY-INFORMATION-OFFICE — CEBU CITY GOVERNMENT

A GARBAGE truck overflows with tarpaulins and other campaign materials collected by the Cebu City Department of Public Services inside voting centers a day after the May 9 national and local elections. The city government appealed to candidates to help in the clearing activities.