Ganzon, Treñas, Baronda: clans to watch in next 10 years

"In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia."
--George Orwell

By Alex P. Vidal

BASED on the recent election results in Iloilo City, three political clans have clinched major portfolios in the city government; and their sensational victories have given the Ilonggos the bird's eye view on which family will dominate Iloilo City's politics in the next 10 years.
They are: the Ganzons, the Treñases, and the Barondas.
The descendants of the late former Senator Rodolfo "Roding" Ganzon became the head turners since the wheels of fortune appear to be tilting on their side.
Aside from Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon (119, 123 votes), who cemented his hold in the city's second highest post with an overwhelming victory over Councilors Plaridel Nava (61,973 votes) and R Leonie Gerochi (22,774 votes), the late senator's grandson and the vice mayor's son, Rudolf, garnered 102,201 votes to land third in the 12-seat city council.

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Another Ganzon scion, Gerald, Rudolf's younger brother, is expected to join the bandwagon and run in the 2022 elections.
If Gerald wins, there will be three elected Ganzon formidable warm bodies to serve in the city government.
Treñas doesn't have children now actively participating in the city politics. He is currently being buttressed by his nephew, Councilor Jay, who collected 99,656 votes for fourth place.
The Ganzons' real threats for supremacy in the next 10 to 20 years come from the Baronda sisters: Congresswoman-elect Julienne "Jam-Jam" (115,148 votes) and No.1 reelected Councilor Love-Love (131,226 votes).
The first woman representative in Iloilo City, young and energetic at 40, can still run for another term and may become the next city mayor after graduating from the House of Representatives.
Love-Love, the No. 1 city councilor, can be a future candidate for vice mayor and higher.

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We foresee a fierce political rivalry between the Ganzons and the Barondas in the near future.
The feisty Gonzalez family was supposed to be the one dominating Iloilo City's political landscape, but after the death of former congressman and justice secretary Raul M. Gonzalez on September 7, 2014, nobody from the talent-laden family was able to duplicate the late old man's political genius and supremacy.
Gonzalez's son Raul Jr., daughter Dr. Gold, and wife Dr. Pacita, suffered heart-rending setbacks one after another in the local elections.
Dr. Pacita's latest defeat for city mayor to Treñas has virtually made their gallant stand to revive the patriarch's past political glory almost improbable.

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Former city councilor and National Youth Commission (NYC) executive director, Dr. Nielex "Lex" Tupas is currently "out of kulambo" after opting not to run against Baronda in the recent congressional elections, but their family is being carried by Dra. Candice, who landed fifth in the race for city council with 98,457 votes.
The Tupases, a maverick political clan in Iloilo Province, also would've been in a strong contention for political dominance in the city in the next 10 to 20 years like the Barondas and the Ganzons, but Dr. Lex Tupas chose to "preserve" his good relationship with the Barondas in exchange for what could have been another political conquest in the recent May 13, 2019 midterm polls.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)

Possible Jamjam Baronda vs Lex Tupas House duel ‘disheartening’

“Youth has no age.”
-Pablo Picasso

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- I am one of those who expressed “sadness” when I heard from the grapevine recently that if the “rift” between Iloilo City Rep. Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas and Mayor Jose “Joe III” Espinosa III is not settled amicably, two of the most dynamic and young leaders of Iloilo City will be heading for a clash in the city’s lone congressional district in the May 14, 2019 Philippine elections.
“This is disheartening,” bemoaned a prominent member of the Iloilo City Trade Mission, who refused to be named “because both the young leaders are dear to me and I don’t want to preempt any ongoing political negotiations (among Iloilo City’s political leaders).”
She was referring to former Iloilo City councilors, Dr. Nielex “Lex” Tupas and Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda.

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Both are good friends and maintain cordial relationships off and on the political arena.
They also have lots of common supporters and admirers who consider them as Iloilo City’s Foghorn Leghorn and Chicken Hawk or Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, brimming with charisma and intelligence.
The grapevine added that if Treñas and Joe III won’t smoke the proverbial peace pipe soon, “Tupas might run for congressman under mayoral bet Treñas and Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, while Baronda might run for congressman under Mayor Joe III and possibly, Councilor R Leone Gerochi, for vice mayor.”
If Baronda decides to pave the way for “graduating” Councilor Joshua Alim, the grapevine said it would be a battle between “three lawyers against a doctor, a lawyer, and a pastor.”
The three lawyers are Alim, Joe III, Gerochi while the doctor is Tupas, the lawyer is Treñas, and the pastor is Ganzon.
Alim’s possible inclusion in the Team Joe III will depend though on the results of “negotiations” and whether the powerhouse Gonzalez faction (composed of Dr. Pacita Trinidad-Gonzalez, Dr. Marigold “Gold” Gonzalez, and former Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr.) will intermingle with the Team Joe III.

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One of the Gonzalezes’ favorite incumbent city officials, Councilor Plaridel Nava, is already “in” and was part of the Iloilo City Trade Mission here.
Nava, the only city councilor in the entourage, confirmed he won’t be seeking a higher elective office when his term expires in 2019.
Meanwhile, a Baronda versus Tupas clash for the city’s lone congressional district would be a real blockbuster, predicted a City Hall bigwig who was also in the trade mission.
“While Lex Tupas is extremely popular among the hoi polloi, Jamjam Baronda is also a darling of the young voters in the barangay,” the City Hall bigwig explained.
The City Hall bigwig, however, said “money will play a major factor between two extremely strong candidates for congressman.”
The City Hall bigwig said although Baronda, daughter of retired city health officer Dr. Nick Baronda and former city councilor, Dr. Julie Baronda, has been away from politics for quite a while after a May 2010 debacle when she lost to Joe III for vice mayor, “she has successfully linked with some influential incumbent senators in Metro Manila and other well-oiled patrons in Mindanao.”

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Baronda’s “loyal” youth brigades are still intact in the metropolis’ 180 barangays and have been “maintained” by her younger sister, Councilor Julie Grace “Love-Love” Baronda, the City Hall bigwig stressed.
Tupas, on the other hand, has been in the limelight when he became executive director of the National Youth Commission (NYC) from November 11, 2015 until May 5, 2017.
Tupas’ base in the grassroots is also solid and “growing” after being buttressed by his wife, Dr. Candice Alumisin-Tupas, who replaced him in the city council.
We expect all the comets and meteors to scoot and realign if Jamjam Baronda and Lex Tupas, both untarnished and very qualified, will collide.
Members of young and intelligent electorate, which comprise the “thinking” voters in 2019, will definitely have a hard time to choose between two pristine and promising national figures.
It’s like being made to choose between Joan of Arc and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, both legends and highly regarded in their own right.

Will Drilon let go of Lex Tupas?

“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.”
--Havelock Ellis

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- Senator Franklin Drilon considers former Iloilo City Councilor, Dr. Nielex “Lex” Tupas, 38, as an “asset” of the Liberal Party (LP), Ugyon Party’s umbrella political party.
Drilon was enamored with the youthful Lex, youngest son of the late former Iloilo Governor Neil D. Tupas Sr. and Ugyon Party bigwig, the moment the senator heard Lex speak in a private gathering in Iloilo City more than 10 years ago.
In 2005, Drilon predicted Lex Tupas “would be the next congressman in Iloilo (the senator did not specify whether in Iloilo’s fifth district or in Iloilo City’s lone district).”
Since “Tito Frank” is a closed ally--personal and political--of his late father and considered as one of the sharpest minds in the Senate during President Benigo “Nonoy” Aquino III’s tenure, the feeling became mutual.
Lex would consult “Tito Frank”, among other political big guns he trusted, in some of the most important political decisions he made.

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It was in the LP, political party of former President Benigo “Nonoy” Aquino III, where Tupas’ political stock skyrocketed.
After he was elected as a city councilor in 2007 where he garnered a head-turning 73,000 votes in his first try, Lex Tupas grabbed headlines from his equally talented siblings also making waves in Iloilo province.
Many Ilonggos, in fact, were saying that Lex Tupas, appointed by President Aquino as executive director of the National Youth Commission (NYC) on November 11, 2015, was “more popular and well-loved” than his older brother, former Iloilo fifth district Rep. Neil “Junjun” Tupas Jr., at the time when both Lex and Junjun were lording over the political landscape respectively in the city and fifth district of Iloilo.
Lex gave up the NYC post on May 5, 2017 “to be with my family.” Others suspected he did not want to “displease” some “worried” LP stalwarts by holding on to the position under the Duterte administration.

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After a three-year hiatus in local politics (wife Dr. Candice Alumisin-Tupas replaced him in the city council), Lex Tupas sent shock waves in the hearts of those aspiring to become the congressman in Iloilo City when he guested in Manuel “Boy” Mejorada’s program in 89.5 Homeradio Aliw Broadcasting on May 30.
He confirmed stories circulating since March 2018 that he and Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas “had talks” since last year about the possibility he would run for congressman on May 13, 2019.
Treñas, who is allegedly at odds with his brother-in-law, Iloilo City Mayor Jose “Jose III” Espinosa III, has announced he would run for Iloilo City mayor and his runningmate would be Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon.
Treñas and Ganzon, as well as Espinosa, are now with President Duterte’s PDP-Laban.

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Some independent-minded Ilonggos believe when the smoke has been cleared, PDP-Laban will field Espinosa (congressman), Treñas (mayor), and Ganzon (vice mayor) in its official line-up in Iloilo City.
If Lex Tupas will formally announce his candidacy on August 11, 2018 during his 40th birthday, will he also announce he is discarding the LP and embracing the PDP-Laban, and thus “bumping off” Joe III?
Or will Lex Tupas be the LP’s official candidate for congressman versus Joe III?
“My decision to run is not based on political personalities,” Lex Tupas told Mejorada’s program. “There is a clamor; there is a calling from the people. I was raised by my father to excel, not as a mediocre. This is not about Lex Tupas but the future and vision of Iloilo City.”
If Lex Tupas decides to team-up with Treñas and takes an oath as the new PDP-Laban member, will “Tito Frank” let him go just like that?