DAPITAN CITY – As it were in the past elections in the perennially among the poorest provinces, two big political families – the Jalosjoses and Uys – are again heading toward a head-on collision in Zamboanga del Norte province while Bishop Severo Caermare of the Dipolog Diocese told them to have a sense of mission.
Most of the Jalosjoses and their allies filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) here and in nearby Dipolog City at the first hour of October 1, which is the start of the filing of COCs throughout the country, after which they heard mass celebrated by Bishop Caermare.
“Nganong magpapili man ta (why are we running for elective positions)?” Asked the bishop in his homily, and added, “it is a mission, that working to serve the people should not only be about what we think as physical development but above all, for you to have a sense of mission in laying out government programs that should fairness, development, and love.”
In the Catholic Church, “sense of mission means to carry out and continue the work of Jesus Christ on Earth” or bringing God in the middle of the Philippine kind of politics that is widely considered the game of the devil.
For the gubernatorial seat, it is woman versus woman. Undefeated Dapitan Mayor Rosalina G. Jalosjos, who is in her last term and sister of the province’s considered political kingpin Romeo Jalosjos, will fight it out with the wife of incumbent Governor Roberto Uy – Evelyn Tang Uy – who was also an undefeated mayor of Dipolog.
The governor, who is also on his last term, will invade Dapitan – the Jalosjos stronghold – to run for mayor. Romeo Jalosjos’ son, Seth Frederick P. Jalosjos – also a former congressman – will again challenge Governor, this time for Dapitan’s mayoralty seat.
Seth Frederick Jalosjos almost defeated Governor Uy in the 2019 elections.
For the congressional seat of the province’s 1st District, it is junior versus junior – incumbent Representative Romeo Jalosjos Jr. will run for reelection against challenger Roberto Y. Uy Jr., son of Governor Uy.
The Jalosjos group is still holding their bet for congress in the province’s 2nd District, which is currently under Representative Glona Labadlabad, an ally of the Uys while in the 3rd District, Romeo Jalosjos’ brother Cesar will run against Adrian Amatong, son of incumbent Representative Isagani Amatong, who is on his last term.
In Dipolog, Romeo Jalosjos’ other son, Rommel, will ran for mayor against incumbent Mayor Darel Dexter Uy, son of Roberto Uy and Evelyn Tang Uy.
Incumbent Mayor Cecilia Jalosjos-Carreon, Romeo Jalosjos’ other sister, will run for reelection in the town of Pinan. She will be challenged by her Vice Mayor Deogracias Cimafranca, an ally of the Uys.
