NEW BULACAN GUV. Members of the Provincial Board of Canvassers and provincial election supervisor, Lawyer Mona Ann T. Aldana-Campos, of the Commission on Elections (right) proclaim Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando (2nd from left) as the duly-elected governor of Bulacan on Thursday (May 16, 2019). Fernando replaces outgoing Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, who will serve as the province's vice governor. (Photo by Manny Balbin)
CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan -- Actor and incumbent Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando was finally proclaimed Thursday night as the new provincial chief executive of this province after a three-day delay.
Fernando, a third-termer vice governor who ran under the National Unity Party (NUP), won the gubernatorial post with an overwhelming lead over his opponents.
Based on data released by lawyer Mona Ann T. Aldana-Campos, provincial election supervisor of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) - Bulacan, he obtained 706,903 votes while his closest rival, Malolos City Mayor Christian D. Natividad, garnered 406,366 votes.
Other gubernatorial candidates and their votes obtained are as follows: former councilor Teddy Natividad (159,371); Joel Coronel (8,401); Jay Ocampo (5,919); Ermalyn del Carmen (4,852); Larry dela Merced (4,582); and Kaka Balite (3,596).
In his proclamation speech, Fernando said he will prioritize in his first 100 days the education and health programs for Bulakenyos.
“By multiplying the number of provincial government scholars and expanding medical and dental missions, what we planted with Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado is what we can enhance,” he said.
The newly elected governor also vowed to rehabilitate some infrastructures in the province, particularly the bridge between the boundaries of the towns of Obando and Bulakan.
Meanwhile, outgoing Governor Sy-Alvarado likewise took a wide margin against his rivals and was proclaimed as vice governor.
The two provincial leaders switched positions, the first in the political history of Bulacan.
Fernando is also the first movie actor to sit as governor of the province. (PNA)
