Original Story: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=2009/december/22/metro1.isx&d=/2009/december/22
San Juan’s congressional bet, Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito, is unopposed but his mother Guia Gomez has four challengers in her bid to replace him.
“I am optimistic Madam Guia will make it,” he said during the induction of metro east reporters held recently at Club Filipino in Greenhills.
Former President Joseph Estrada branched out from filmdom to be hands-down town mayor before becoming senator and vice president, entrenching the family as a household name in San Juan politics.
But the influence has somewhat waned as wife Gomez faces Manuel Andrada of Lakas, Glenn Angeles of Kapatiran along with independents Eduardo San Pascual and Aniceto Tamayo, according to public information officer Leng Alejo.
The emergence of opponents comes amid the show of solidarity in the San Juan Business Council which remains comfortable with the status quo.
Council president Joselito Santos said the group had no qualms about its choice.
“We know that Madam Guia will continue what Mayor JV has started,” he said, underscoring the economic gains.
City treasurer Linda Marasigan said the city’s income has topped the P1-billion level with P930 million generated locally through business taxes, permits, licenses and other fees.
Santos said San Juan became a city in 2007 under Ejercito’s term.
“The number of business in San Juan was only 1,500 when Mayor JV Ejercito started office in 2001, now the businesses in the city are more than 3,500. We will be supporting her administration, too.”
Running with Gomez is last-term Rep. Ronaldo Zamora’s son, city Councilor Francis under the local party, Partido Magdiwang.
The younger Zamora said he was thankful for being chosen by the caucus as vice mayoral bet.
The Estradas and Zamoras are family friends for more than 30 years now, according to Francis, who is pitted against Alex Enriquez of Lakas.
Earning his masters in public administration at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, after taking programs in business in New York University, Zamora studied psychology in De La Salle University where he finished high school and elementary.
“I really prepared myself when I decided to enter politics in 2006.”
He said Ejercito asked him to join the Jaycees in 2005, where he became president. The mayor himself became president in 1995.
Alejo said Partido Magdiwang has lined up for the city council (First District) re-electionists Vincent Pacheco, Edgardo Soriano and Ferdinand Velasco, togethr with lawyer Angelo Agcaoili, village councilor William Go and real estate broker Onil Mendoza.
For the Second District are re-electionists Rolando Bernardo, Andoni Carballo and Jannah Ejercito, incumbent Vice Mayor Leonardo Celles, former Councilor Richie Peralta and Liga ng mga Barangay president Noel Rozon. Gigi Muñoz David
Original Story: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=2009/december/22/metro1.isx&d=/2009/december/22
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