It’s April and we are nearing the finish line of the 2025 midterm elections. In Davao Region the trend has not changed much since the first month of the election season. Except for Davao de Oro where the reluctant and neophyte candidate Noe “Butchoy” Taojo joined the race for Representative in District 2 most of those in the running are incumbent, re-electionists or are nearest of kins of political families.
In Davao City for example all of those running in various posts, except for mayoral bet Cubos, are either the father, the mother, the son, the daughter, grandson or granddaughter, niece or nephews.
But this political piculiarity is not only true in Davao Region it is an oddity in Philippine politics which explains why the prospect of an anti-dynasty legislation will never graduate from wishful idea.
The pattern of who has the best chance of winning has not been altered. The Bautistas in Davao Occidental and the Cagas in Davao del Sur still rule their respective domain.
In Davao City the Hugpong ng Tawong Lungsod bets are expected to have a clean sweep and that comprehends of the Mayor, Vice Mayor, Representatives and Councilors. The only elective posts where we expect to see some kind of action is in the choice of Partylists Representatives. #2 PPP Partylist and #106 Trabaho Partylist are a by words at this stage.
Lakas-CMD Karlo Nograles and his sibling Migs are running for Mayor and Representative respectively and backed by inexhaustible campaign funds from Ayuda and KAPA. They are winning only in their surveys and even had the temerity of using OCTA Research for which they had been warned. In the recent University of Mindanao Institute of Popular Opinion however showed their bleak future. This despite the detention of Former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague, Netherlands and the peddling of their phalanx of propagandists that FPRRD will not be able to return.
In Davao del Norte, the series of proclamation rallies, of Rep. Alan Dujali who is running for Governor, is a smashing success. The first event done in Panabo City foretells the results in the coming May 12 polls. Dujali impeccable performance backed by 633 verifiable projects that not only benefit District 2 which he represents but also District 1, has endeared him to the electorates. The most recent survey even showed a significant increase in his supporters. And recently too, a huge population of indigenous tribes in the province has declared their total backing for Alan Dujali whom they recently named Datu Sangkuan and one of their own. Partymates Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy and Vice Gov. Oyo Uy who is running for Representative in the 1st District are enjoying an unprecedented support of Tagum City residents which has the biggest voters population in the province.
The biggest surprise in the region is about to happen in Davao de Oro. As I had mentioned, neophyte candidate in a political race, Butchoy Taojo, is bound to make history by beating Romualdez-Marcos backed Jhong Ceniza who had been in politics for decades. Butchoy is like a star-magic hero who is mobbed by fans whereever he goes around District 2 where he is running for congressman. Butchoy has aces under his sleeves. He is known not only in Davao de Oro but in adjoining provinces for his philantrophic acts. His life story of rugs to riches is as legendary as his generosity. So many hundreds of people – the sick and the needy including those who lost their homes due to calamities – had been helped by him. He does these acts of generosity without fanfare but are known to many. And today, Butchoy himself is surprised by the reception he is getting including those who hugged him not knowing that they were among those who benefitted from his many acts of charity.
Watch the possible biggest upset in the region is in the 1st District of Davao de Oro. We are referring to Maricar Zamora who is seeking reelection as Representative and husband Ruel Mabanglo. The couple this April drafted additional propagandists and mounted an attack on a non-candidate, former Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, now popularly known as “Papa Gov” who has virtually retired from politics. Maricar is running against an independent candidate, Franco Tito, who was publicly endorsed by former President Rodrigo Duterte. On the other hand Maricar is backed by Romualdez-Marcos tandem and through whom the “ayudas” are coursed through. In a province where Romualdez can hardly obtain 15% in surveys but are diehard Duterte, Maricar is deeply worried about her political fortunes. It’s like David and Goliath encounter considering that Franco Tito does not have a campaign kitty to speak of. But small scale miners, their families and those who owed a deep sense of gratitude to Franco when, as barangay Captain of Diwalwal laid his life for them in his lonely fight against corporate mining firms, the time to repay Fronco Tito is now. Factor in Papa Gov which Maricar has unnecessarily dragged into her mess and one can understand her freakish moves of late.
