VICTORY AND DEFEAT. Mayor Henry Teves of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental (left) won the elections on Monday (May 9, 2022) as the new governor. His running mate, Board Member Erwin Macias (right), however, lost in the vice gubernatorial race to Guihulngan City Mayor Guido Reyes. (PNA file photo courtesy of Syril Repe)
DUMAGUETE CITY – Negros Oriental has a new governor and vice governor, both incumbent local chief executives of two of the province’s largest cities, having won over their respective rivals in the May 9 elections.
Bayawan City Mayor Henry Teves (Nationalist People’s Coalition) defeated erstwhile Governor Roel Degamo (Nacionalista Party) by 19,546 votes.
Official results from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Oriental showed Teves garnered 301,319 votes while Degamo had 281,773.
Meanwhile, Guihulngan City Mayor Guido Reyes (Nacionalista Party) edged out incumbent Board Member Erwin Macias by 1,254 votes in the tightly-contested race for vice governor.
Macias was leading throughout the day until the last hours of the provincial canvassing when transmission of results from Guihulngan City brought the upset.
The provincial board of canvassers proclaimed Teves and Reyes on Tuesday evening at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall, where the official canvassing was being held.
The province’s three incumbent House representatives were also proclaimed by the provincial board of canvassers, having been reelected into office.
They are Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong of the 1st district, Rep. Manuel “Chikiting” Sagarbarria of the 2nd district, and Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. of the 3rd district. (PNA)
