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By Ma. Ester L. Espina, Reporter
BACOLOD CITY: It’s not just
showbiz after all. The media profession has suddenly become another
avenue toward a career in politics after seven active media
practitioners in Negros Occidental filed their certificates of
candidacy for various positions before the deadline ended last
Thursday.
They are joining seven other
former media practitioners who are seeking another mandate this
coming election, this despite complaints from media outfits about
the scarcity and quality of journalists in the provinces.
Seeking the gubernatorial seat is
broadcaster Luisito Tribaco of the KBL party who will face-off with
incumbent Gov. Joseph Maranon, now seeking his third and last term.
Tribaco hosts a local cable television show. His platform includes
poverty alleviation and making Negros Occidental a free trade zone
to invite investors and solve the unemployment problem.
He acknowledges lack of resources
and machinery to even give Maranon a good fight but said that he
will rely on the people’s “labor of love” to help him in the
campaign. The incumbent though is a hard fellow to beat, enjoying
the support of the administration as well as backed by the machinery
and influence of business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco.
In Bacolod City, lawyer and
broadcaster Joel Dojillo is seeking the mayoralty seat against
incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia, also a former media practitioner.
Both have held the presidency of the Negros Press Club in the past.
The two will fight it out with former mayor Luzviminda Valdez and
former police chief, Vicente Ponteras.
Another broadcaster, Aquilino
Ciocon of RGMA radio is running for mayor in the town of Murcia
against incumbent Sonny Coscolluela. RGMA just lost three
broadcasters to this mid-term election after veteran broadcaster
Edmund Aspero also resigned to run as councilor of Bacolod City
while his colleague Bryan Morden will run as councilor at Don
Salvador Benedicto.
The two other media practitioners
who left the field are Dolly Yasa who writes for Panay News to run
as councilor in Moises Padilla town and Reynaldo Siason,
broadcaster of Bombo Radyo, who is running as board member of the
Third District.
Seeking another term as councilor
of Bacolod City are Greg Gasataya and Homer Bais, both from Bombo
Radyo before getting elected, columnists Joselle Batapa-Sigue and
Lyndon Cana, the latter running for vice-mayor.
Also for councilor of Bacolod is
recently resigned Games and Amusement Board commissioner Alex
Paglomutan. He was with Bombo also and acknowledged then as the top
broadcaster in the province before he ran in 2001, earning the first
councilor seat and eventually stepping in as vice-mayor after
then-Mayor Oscar Verdeflor got sick.
Lastly and unknown to many, Rep.
Monico Puentevella of Bacolod is also a former TV personality and he
is seeking his last term for the lone district of Bacolod against
incumbent Vice-Mayor Renecito Novero.
Besides Dojillo and Leonardia,
Puentevella, Yasa, Aspero and Saison are all past presidents of the
Negros Press Club, said to be one of the oldest media institution in
the country.
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