Incumbent
governor Ben P. Evardone (Lakas CMD) was granted early proclamation
even if three municipalities had not submitted Certificates
of Canvass (COCs) to the provincial canvass due to his overwhelming
lead in the gubernatorial race against former Vice Governor
Camilo Camenforte (UNO-GO) in this year’s midterm
elections.
“This is a real statement of the Eastern Samareños
that Gov. Evardone’s leadership has made great achievements
and progress in the province,” says one of his key
campaign personnel who asked not to be named.
Evardone,
while thanking his constituency for the huge trust and confidence
he was given by providing him a fresh mandate, on the other
hand, indicated that he has to work harder this time. “The
awe-inspiring trust the people has given me is actually
a big challenge because I have to live up to their expectations
as the provincial head,” Evardone said.
“We
were able to graduate from the Club 20 or the poorest of
the poor provinces during my previous term and we will strive
hard to improve more on our poverty alleviation programs,”
he continued. “Facing the challenge, I am even more
determined to bring Eastern Samar into greater heights,”
Evardone said.
The
re-elected governor cited that much of the provincial force
will be laid upon economic development of the province.
“The economic plight of many of my fellow Eastern
Samareños is always my top priority,” he said.
Despite
the absence of COCs from three vote-rich municipalities
of Borongan, Guiuan and Dolores, the Board of Canvassers
decided to proclaim Evardone as re-elected governor on the
eve of May 18, four days after the elections, because of
the more the 70,000 vote-margin he has against Camenforte.
Eastern Samar has 23 municipalities and has a voting population
of 192,099.
After
the canvass, Evardone tallied 122,307 votes while Camenforte
recorded 22,165 votes leaving a wide margin of 100,142 votes.
Camenforte won only in the town of Balangiga where he comes
from, while Evardone took all the 22 municipalities.
The reelected governor also reiterated that among his priorities
in this new term will still be on education, peace and order,
women and children protection, infrastructures and electrification.
Meanwhile, the almost a decade-long political supremacy
of Libanan was put to a halt after Elda Libanan (Lakas CMD),
wife of Congressman Marcelino Libanan, succumbed to Doloy
Coquilla (GO) in the congressional race in the lone district
of Eastern Samar. Coquilla, a former mayor of Oras town,
had a province-wide margin of 7,276 votes over the lady
Libanan.
Prior
to the election, speculations had it that Libanan would
be a sure winner as their camp has established political
machinery with the full backing of Cong. Libanan and has
a deeper campaign chest against Coquilla. Many post-election
observers from all walks of life said that one of the main
causes of the Libanan collapse was the failure to address
the worsening road conditions in the province and some corruption
issues.
“The people of Eastern Samar are intelligent voters
and they will surely select an official who will truly represent
them,” says Coquilla.
Coquilla also thanked the people of Eastern Samar for giving
him the opportunity to represent the district in Congress.
“I consider this a big test as all eyes will be on
me and I am up not to fail the expectations of the people,”
Coquilla said. (BRYAN M. AZURA/ Media Affairs Office, Province
of Eastern Samar)
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