Dumanjug: Top producer of Cebu governors

Today, my father’s hometown of Dumanjug in Cebu is celebrating its 163rd town fiesta since its founding in 1855. The town’s patron saint is the famous Saint Francis of Assisi, in whose honor the incumbent Pope has chosen to name himself. Saint Francis is also the inspiration in the founding of many Franciscan congregations of religious priests nuns and consecrated persons. There are two other parishes within the town of Dumanjug, namely the San Vicente Ferrer parish in Bitoon and the Holy Rosary Parish (used to be the Cristo Rey) in Bulak. Dumanjug is a progressive third-class municipality with revenue of more than 126 million in 2016.

Dumanjug is the biggest town in the newly-created seventh congressional district of Cebu province, which includes the DRAMMBAG(Dumanjug,Ronda,Alcantara,Moalboal,Malabuyoc, Badian, Alegria, and Ginatilan). It has 37 barangays with a combined population of 53,000 (extrapolated from 51,210 per 2015 population survey). Outside of Cebu City, there is perhaps no other local government unit in Cebu that has produced at least three governors, and could have produced five if the Garcias only succeeded.

These three governors included the second Cebu governor, Don Dionisio A. Jakosalem (from 1906 to 1912), then Pablo P. Garcia, and daughter Gwendolyn Garcia. Had Winston and Pablo John won in their respective attempts, Dumanjug would have produced no less than five Cebu governors and the Garcias would have claimed four of the five.

Today’s Dumanjug politics is the usual contest between the incumbent Efren Guntrano “Gungun”’ Gica of the famous Gica clan and the Garcias, with Nelson Garcia -- son of Pablo and brother of Gwendolyn, Pablo John and Winston -- of the more widely known Garcia political dynasty in southern Cebu. Another brother of Gwendolyn, Marlon, is incumbent mayor of Barili, Cebu. The Garciashavethedistinctadvantageofclaimingtobecomingfromboth Dumanjug and Barili, thus eligible to run in two congressional districts. Dumanjug belongs to the seventh, while Barili belongs to the third.

But in the previous elections, the Garcias had suffered some tremendous setbacks. Pablo Garcia lost to Willy Caminero in the old second district. Pablo John lost to John Peter Calderon in the seventh. Nelson lost to Gica in Dumanjug.

Dumanjug is the town of the Quirantes (to which my father belongs), the Melgars, Alpuertos, Jakosalems, Macoys, Opsimas, Amadoras, Garcias, Zozobrados, Albinos, Pasculados, Patlingraos, Ricamoras, Luceros, Casipongs, Lanojans, and many others. It is also the town of the late Sal Jakosalem Fernandez, former Cebu provincial board member and vice governor, and the famous basketball genius Julian Macoy. A delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention was from Dumanjug, Felismino V. Rivera, who married a Melgar from Poblacion Looc of this town.

Dumanjug also has a rich history, culture, and arts. It has produced many lawyers, doctors, engineers, accountants, teachers, nurses, marine officers, seafarers and other OFWs.

Every town fiesta is an occasion for homecoming. My cousins who are working in Las Vegas, Nevada are coming home for reunions and to pay homage to the patron saint. It is also an occasion for politicians to meet their ward leaders, renew ties and consolidate forces down to the precinct levels.

I predict that the 2019 polls will be a return bout between the Gicas and the Garcias. Gica has the advantage of the incumbent, with the full support of the governor who belongs to the LP. The Garcias will have to do a lot more if they do not get the support of PDP of President Duterte and the Hugpong of Inday Sara. Dumanjug will be hotly-contested. I hope the polls will be peaceful.