REPRESENTATIVE JERRY P. Treñas of the lone district of Iloilo City will be serving next as mayor after he defeated his brother-in-law, incumbent Mayor Jose S. Espinosa III in Monday’s elections. Mr. Treñas’ slate under the National Unity Party (NUP) also dominated other local positions. NUP’s Vice-Mayor Jeffrey P. Ganzon was reelected while former city councilor, Julienne L. Baronda was proclaimed as the city’s first woman congressional representative. “I cannot contain the happiness I feel right now knowing that the people of Iloilo City did not leave me alone in this journey. And now, I can finally say, as the mayor of Iloilo City, I am now ready to bring Iloilo City to the next level,” Mr. Treñas said after his proclamation at around 2:45 a.m. Tuesday. Mr. Espinosa, at the city hall’s flag ceremony on Tuesday, thanked his supporters saying, “The elections are over so it is now time for reconciliation and unity. Thank you for the support. We will respect the results.” The outgoing mayor, in an interview with reporters, hinted on running for another position in the 2022 elections. “I shall return,” he said. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

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