THE NEXT GOVERNOR. Outgoing vice governor Eugenio Jose Lacson (2nd from left) was proclaimed the governor-elect of Negros Occidental by the Provincial Board of Canvassers led by chairperson Salud Milagros Villanueva (left) on Friday (May 17, 2019). Lacson garnered 827,657 votes, or 94.79 percent of the total votes cast. (PNA photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver)
BACOLOD CITY -- Outgoing vice governor Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson was proclaimed the next governor of Negros Occidental on Friday after defeating former government prosecutor Rolando Parpa in a landslide victory.
Lacson, leader of the opposition Love Negros, was fielded as a unity candidate by his party and the ruling United Negros Alliance to succeed Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., whose third and final term ends on June 30.
“I pledge to do my best in leading the province of Negros Occidental,” the governor-elect told reporters minutes before he was proclaimed before noon.
Lacson garnered 827,657 votes, or 94.79 percent of the total votes cast. Parpa got only 45,412 votes.
The governor-elect’s proclamation was held at the canvassing hub of the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) chaired by Election Supervisor Salud Milagros Villanueva located at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol in this city.
Lacson was accompanied by his family members led by his 82-year-old mother, Carmen, who became emotional upon seeing her son declared as the next governor.
The elder Lacson, who cried when the governor-elect went up on stage to be proclaimed, said she still couldn’t believe that her son was elected governor of Negros Occidental “because he has always been reserved”.
“I’m very, very proud of him. I wish his dad were alive so he can see (him now), but maybe his dad is watching him,” she added.
On Friday afternoon, Jeffrey Ferrer, who ran unopposed for vice governor, was proclaimed along with his wife, Juliet, who won a second term as representative of the fourth district.
Although a sure winner, Ferrer was still able to obtain 680,832 votes for the second top post of the province.
“The incoming governor and I communicate, and I believe that together, we can implement our plans for the good of Negros Occidental,” the vice-governor elect said.
Also proclaimed by the PBOC were the winners of the electoral posts in the various districts of the province.
In the first district, outgoing San Carlos City Mayor Gerardo Valmayor Jr. was elected representative while reelectionist Rommel Debulgado and outgoing Calatrava mayor Araceli Somosa were both unopposed for board member.
Also unopposed, Leo Rafael Cueva was proclaimed as second district representative for his third and final term while Samson Mirhan, who was elected for a second term, was joined by Sixto Guanzon to sit as board members.
Reelectionist Manuel Frederick Ko was proclaimed as board member of the third district on Friday. His colleague, outgoing Murcia mayor Andrew Montelibano, was declared winner ahead on Thursday night with congressman-elect Jose Francisco Benitez, who was unopposed like the two board members.
For the fourth district, outgoing Pontevedra mayor Jose Benito Alonso and reelectionist Victor Javellana, both unopposed for board member, were also proclaimed on Thursday.
Comebacking sixth district congressman Genaro Alvarez Jr. was proclaimed on Thursday along with board members-elect Valentino Miguel Alonso and Jeffrey Tubola.
The first to be proclaimed on Wednesday were the fifth district winners led by congresswoman-elect Ma. Lourdes “Marilou” Arroyo-Lesaca, the sister-in-law of House of Representatives Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
She was joined by outgoing Himamaylan City mayor Agustin Ernesto Bascon and Rita Gatuslao, who defeated three other candidates to become fifth district board members. (PNA)
