‘IT’S SHOWTIME’: ‘Uswag’, ‘Gugma’ camps solidify lineups

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan and Rjay Zuriaga Castor

As the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) concludes today, October 8, the camps of Iloilo City mayoral hopeful Raisa Treñas-Chu and incumbent lone district Representative Julienne Baronda have solidified their lineups for the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Chu reaffirmed on Monday, October 7, that she will seek to succeed her father, Mayor Jerry Treñas, as the city’s chief executive.

Treñas announced on October 3 that he would not seek re-election and endorsed his daughter as his replacement.

“A day before the deadline for filing the Certificate of Candidacy, we have finalized the slate of Team Uswag for the 2025 midterm elections. Our slate is complete. This decision was made out of respect for the ruling party, as previously agreed upon,” Chu said in a statement.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to have been chosen as the official candidate of Team Uswag for Mayor of Iloilo City. I may have big shoes to fill, but I believe in our collective effort. With your trust and support, we can continue the work we’ve started, ensuring that Iloilo City remains a safe, peaceful, and progressive home for all of us,” she added. 

LINEUPS

Chu announced her City Council lineup, headed by Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, who is running for his third and final full term.

Ganzon was elected as the top-ranking councilor in 2016 but became vice mayor in 2017 when then-Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III assumed the mayoral post after then-Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog was dismissed by the Ombudsman on corruption charges.

Ganzon, who previously ran with Treñas under the National Unity Party (NUP), will now run under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Team Uswag will field a full 12-member lineup, including re-electionist Councilors Sedfrey Cabaluna, Romel Duron, Rudolph Jeffrey Ganzon, Rex Marcus Sarabia, Frances Grace Parcon-Torres, Miguel Treñas, Johnny Young, and Alan Zaldivar.

Former councilors Lyndon Acap and Mandrie Malabor, who lost in 2022, will also return to the lineup.

Newcomers include lawyer Sheila Olid and executive assistant Jose Maria dela Llana.

Dela Llana is the grandson of the late former City Vice Mayor Guillermo Dela Llana and ran for the council in 2022, finishing in 18th place.

His uncle, Dr. Graceson Dela Llana, is reported to be part of the Team Gugma lineup.

Team Gugma’s lineup includes Baronda’s sister, former councilor Lady Julie Grace Baronda, former councilor R. Leone Gerochi, former Sangguniang Kabataan federation president Sheen Marie Mabilog, lawyer Kesha Pesina, banker Peter Emil Oñate, Baronda’s spokesperson Pastor Stanley Flores, broadcaster Jun Capulot, lawyer Dan Cartagena, and businessman GM Ramos.

Lady Julie Grace Baronda served three terms as councilor from 2013 to 2022, while Gerochi was councilor from 2010 to 2019.

Mabilog, the niece of former Mayor Mabilog, was originally part of Team Uswag but was dropped for undisclosed reasons.

Capulot and Cartagena were unsuccessful candidates in the 2022 and 2019 elections, respectively.

The identity of the 11th councilor candidate from Team Gugma has not been disclosed, but it is reported to be a female doctor.

Both camps will hold events on the final filing day.

Team Uswag will hold a mass at Sta. Maria Parish Church, followed by a foot parade to Robinsons Place Iloilo, where COMELEC has been accepting COC filings.

The city government has announced road closures along Mapa, General Blanco, J.M. Basa, Ledesma, Quezon, and De Leon streets from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. for the parade.

Team Gugma will hold their “Gugma Sulong Day” at the University of San Agustin Gym, where they will proclaim their full slate.

A source told Daily Guardian that Team Gugma will file their COCs through a lawyer proxy, following a similar method used by the Uswag slate in 2022.

Baronda is expected to run for her third and final consecutive term, with plans to be revealed during their rally.

Chu was originally endorsed by her father for the city’s lone district seat in the House of Representatives, currently held by Baronda, leading to a rift between their camps, which had been allied since the 2019 elections.

While there were reports of unity talks between the two groups, Flores told Daily Guardian that as of October 7, discussions were still ongoing.

This is not the first time Baronda and Treñas have been in opposing camps; Baronda ran for vice mayor in 2010 against Treñas’ candidate, Espinosa III, who won.

FEW COCS FILED IN SEVEN DAYS

In Iloilo City, only six candidates have officially filed their COCs—one for mayor, one for congressman, and four for city councilor.

Perennial candidate Mel Carreon is running for a congressional seat, while Roland Magahin has filed for the mayoral race.

City councilor candidates include Jose “Mor” Espinosa IV, Pastor Abner Ignacio Batan, Ryan Dave Estrella, and Efren Gimeo.

Magahin, who filed his COC on Monday, said his conscience pushed him to run for mayor.

A businessman selling mineral supplements, Magahin said he has had “sleepless nights” due to concerns about the state of vendors and public utility drivers in the city.

“Our market vendors are displaced, and it hurts me because that is where I came from,” he said.

“The city government made several actions, and it seems that the vendors’ future remains uncertain. They’re posting tarpaulins saying ‘Uswag’ (progress), but we feel like we are ‘Usmod’ (sinking),” he added.

Magahin, a market vendor for 30 years at the Iloilo Terminal Market, said he is not against the rehabilitation of the city’s public markets but stressed that vendors are disadvantaged by the renovation under a public-private partnership with SM Prime Holdings, Inc.

Ryan Dave Estrella, an incumbent barangay kagawad in Nabitasan, Lapaz, is also running for city councilor.

Estrella, a teacher by profession, said fresh faces are needed in the Iloilo City Council.

He vowed to push for programs for people living with HIV (PLHIV) and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Efren Gimeo, an incumbent barangay kagawad from Jalandoni-Estate, Lapuz, has also filed his candidacy for city councilor.

Gimeo, a former barangay captain for 13 years, is running under PDP-Laban and said he would promote the party’s core programs on poverty reduction, anti-corruption, and addressing illegal drugs and criminality.

EXPECT HEAVY TRAFFIC

The Iloilo City Traffic Management Unit (ICTMU) has urged the public to conduct their transactions early on Tuesday, October 8, due to the expected heavy traffic in the City Proper area.

ICTMU head Uldarico Garbanzos said at least 17,000 supporters are anticipated to join a foot parade and caravan organized by Team Uswag from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Team Gugma will first hold a mass at the Santa Maria Parish before proceeding with the parade.

“The public is encouraged to complete their transactions early. If they are caught in traffic, we have rerouting plans available for them,” Garbanzos said.

The parade is expected to cause road closures along key streets in the City Proper, with the potential to extend traffic build-up into the Molo and La Paz districts.

Affected streets include sections of General Blanco Street, Mapa Street, JM Basa Street, Ledesma Street, Quezon Street, and J. De Leon Street in the City Proper.

Garbanzos noted that the Team Gugma-Sulong, led by lone district Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda, has not applied for a permit for a political rally.

“If they are planning to bring a large crowd and use the road, they should have applied for a permit and road closure,” he said.

He added that a city ordinance would also need to be passed by the City Council to approve road closures.

Garbanzos acknowledged the scheduled proclamation rally of Baronda’s party at the University of San Agustin and said contingency plans are in place with the Iloilo City Police Office to manage possible disruptions.

He assured that strict enforcement will be implemented to prevent road obstructions caused by Gugma-Sulong supporters.

“If you don’t have a permit, you don’t have the right to obstruct,” Garbanzos emphasized, adding that, at most, they will only be allowed to use the sidewalks.