Metro Infanta Foundation

By Pol Derilo

Based on tally boards, radio broadcasts and discussion going around, here are the election winners in the metro RIN area:

Infanta: Grace America won over M. Macasaet by 2 to 1 margin in most precincts. RR Velasco overwhelmingly beat Ungriano for the vice mayoralty positions. Three incumbent councilors, R. Macasaet, R. Potes and N. Merto were reelected. Five new faces fill the rest of the council. They are Renato Escama, Rex Gamara, Zenaida Sol, Leopoldo Revellame and Rodolfo A. Ungriano. Overall, the new council will consist of 3 councilors from the opposition and 5 from America’s Team Unity (Liberal Party) ticket.

General Nakar: By a margin of only around 500 votes, Ubing Ruzol beat the incumbent Hernando Avellaneda, sparking rumors that he may again file a protest, a repetition of the last election. From the tally board, Ruzol has 4049 while Avellenada garnered 3575. Two other contenders for mayor Bobby Portillo and A. Pujeda received the remaining minority votes.

As far as the issue of Laiban Dam and the Kanan B1 hydroelectric dam is concerned, only three of the signatories of the controversial resolution 2007-21 were reelected. One of them Normelita L. Curioso, in her turn around talk during the public rally on April 30, pledged to support for the repeal of the resolution. The two other signatories reelected are Rodel Avellaneda and Efren Saynes. Two other new council members were elected from Ruzol’s line up namely, Apolonio Ruzol and Rizalito Astrera. Three independent runners, Bernie Calzado, Wency de Guia and Gerry Tena. Together with the newly elected vice mayor Jose Vargas, Ruzol and his two winning councilors also vowed to recall the resolution. Hopes seem to be positive for the recall of the environmentally sensitive resolution.

Real: Joel Diestro won by a landslide over Edith Escama and Peras for the mayoralty in this town. Rene Sollestre also won over Darius Castro by a very slight margin, less than two hundred votes.

On the provincial level, Nantes is still leading over Suarez for governor with Kelly Portes looking like a sure winner for vice governor. Mark Enverga is leading for congressman over Llamas,

With the canvassing over at the municipal hall and fewer onlookers now hovering around the tally board at the basketball court, Infanta is getting back to normal. The daily grind is resuming again.

In the meantime, with most of the nearly 600 unpaid PPCRV volunteers being invited, they will have fun and relaxation during a picnic at Balute on Monday. They were the unsung guardians for the clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful (CHAMP) election around the 129 precints in Infanta last Monday. My wife Sally and I had the privilege to be among them and we absolutely enjoyed it.