Ben Madilynn
IMMEDIATE CHANGES IN POLITICAL PICTURE. Jose Daluz III is out as candidate for Cebu City mayor, reducing the number of major aspirants to three, instead of four, namely: Mike Rama of Partido Barug; Raymond Alvin Garcia of Kusug and One Cebu; and Nestor Archival Sr. of BOPK, which founder and leader Tomas Osmeña said is not even a party.
Instead of Barug splitting into three parts, it’s now just two, theoretically increasing strength of Raymond’s Kusug-Panaghiusa union but still paring down the force of Mike’s Barug, if one can measure the clout of the two smaller parties that allied with Barug in 2022.
If Joey Daluz has slid to vice mayor as Acting Mayor Garcia’s vice mayor in the 2025 race, former city councilor Dave Tumulak is also out as Daluz’s vice mayor unless Tumulak partners with another mayoralty candidate or runs as an independent.
How about Barug? Mayor Mike Rama is reported to have forged an alliance with Bag-ong Cebu, said to be led by Councilor Franklyn Ong, ABC president and formerly a member of BOPK (he ran in 2022 for vice mayor, with Margot Osmeña as his mayor-to-be; both lost).
Ong, contrary to speculations, is not running as Mike Rama’s VM; he’ll clash with One Cebu’s Representative Cutie del Mar and BOPK’s Mary Ann de los Santos. That, as Barug’s Edu Rama will battle, among others, BOPK’s Bebot Abellanosa.
NOT MOVING FROM CAPITOL. Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia, earlier rumored to switch places with Representative PJ Garcia in third district, or run for senator, may not be moving at all. One Cebu’s pre-COCC filing assembly indicates she’ll run for reelection.
COOPERATION/MERGER. One Cebu Party, whose interest used to spill over only to Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City, now includes Cebu City in its sphere of influence by entering into “an agreement of cooperation” with Acting Mayor Garcia and Kusug and Representative Cutie del Mayor, who was previously allied with, but was recently rejected by, BOPK chief Tomas Osmeña.
The public is not told the specifics of the agreement; it may include more than moral support or symbolic endorsement. Would it also cover backing in campaign resources? And how would a “quid pro quo” work in the province and city where interests, at least during the campaign, generally don’t fit into each other?
To be sure though, Garcia’s Kusug has “merged” with Daluz’s Panaghiusa to win, which requires the tandem to beat not just Barug but also BOPK candidates.
ADVERSARIES’ REACTION. It’s not known how development in the Garcia-Daluz camp will set off a response from Mike Rama’s Barug and Osmeña’s BOPK.
Whatever change in strategy is expected to come only in BOPK, where there could still be a switch from Archival-Osmeña to Osmeña-Archival. Tomas might decide to lead the fight himself by taking over the mayorship slot because of a more fierce fight: from three serious but splintered adversaries to just two individually heavier teams.
The watch is more on the BOPK ball: Would the team-up be as is or would there be a switch of lead fighter or even a drop-out of one?
SUBSTITUTION RULES BEING TIGHTENED, as early as last May 2024, each camp would be mindful of the smaller window to replace candidates. Deadline for substitutions is October 8, or this coming Tuesday. Otherwise, it would only be by death or disqualification before or on election day, with the substitute bearing the same surname.
That means each party would be stuck with the same people who each filed a COC specific post. Unless political emergency or necessity would compel a change.
