On Oro’s mayoral race

The five-person race for Cagayan de Oro’s next mayor has suddenly become more interesting as it offers us an array of candidates with varying qualifications, experience and convictions.

This paper hopes to invite each of them for a discussion on the pressing issues that beset our city and hear from them their visions for Oro. We will not be formally endorsing specific candidates but we will come up with a series of editorials on our assessment about their performance while we align with or oppose on their platforms as we deem it.

With Agriculture Undersecretary Pompee La Vina joining the race to become the city’s next mayor, there is a serious contender that could replace Oca Moreno from the seat he’s held since 2013. It will surely not be a walk in the park as even the political kingpin Dongkoy Emano failed to unseat Oca in two consecutive elections, let alone someone with no political experience.

Oca Moreno has proven time and again that he is the one to beat. His track record shows a number of nationally recognized successful programs that were enjoyed by the Kagay-anons. But we can’t discount the possible negative effect of the graft cases he is still facing in the Sandiganbayan that may rob him of his chance to win his last term. Although that can easily be cushioned by his consistent number of loyal supporters.

Candy Darimbang is also one to watch as she has already established over the years a strong following among Cagay-anons in her charismatic leadership as City councilor.

Veteran columnist Ben Contreras on the other hand is known for his hard hitting and fearlessly take on local issues that beset our city over the years. His non-negotiable principles and his sincerity to make our city better has provided him a good following as well.

I have to admit, I do not know much about Felix Borres, but it would be an interesting thing to hear his plans as well as I was told that this is his fourth time to join the mayoral race.

More than anything, the mayoral race is about having the vision to lead, the intelligence to translate this vision to measurable outputs and outcomes, and the decisiveness to implement them within a given term. Not everyone is therefore cut-out for this job which is so crucial because the city’s top post will determine the fate of the millions who are residing in our city.

What can be the deciding factor come election day? You are. That is only if you will go out to vote.