Mayor Dongkoy Emano Vs Governor Oca Moreno: Who’s Your Mayor?

These 2 are the running for Mayor in the City of golden friendship and are the strongest candidates so far. Dongkoy Emano the former Mayor of the city is again running the race hoping to be re-elected and stay in power while Oca Moreno is the former Governor of the Misamis Oriental who will try his luck this time to take away the seat Dongkoy has been keeping for quite a while now.

Long before this crazy election hiatus both were friends. Then politics gets in the way and their friendship is thrown to a deep hollow. Since the campaign for the National seat have started these trouble two have been throwing downbeat remarks to each other as they campaign for each of their parties (LP and UNA).  Of course, despite the fact that they were there to support their National Party, the agenda of getting the Kagay-anon’s attention has always and will always be there. What better way to tell the Kagay-anons they are worthy of their votes than to brag each of their achievements? I’ve done all these and that! errrrrr…how about acknowledging your failures Sirs and tell us what you will do about ’em?

In my 2 decades of existence in this City of golden friendship I have seen its downs and lows. I saw the improvements and how this city boomed!  Some of them I credit to the City’s current Mayor, Dongkoy Emano. His term brought the City investors and well, some good projects in the field of business, infrastructures and scholarship grants (perhaps).

On the other hand Governor Oca Moreno also has things to brag about during his term in the Province of Misamis Oriental. The 400+ classrooms, hospitals, infrastructures, Scholarships, roads, tourist spots and probably more. Because of his effort (and let’s not forget the people in his administration who helped him make all these possible), the Province of Misamis Oriental became known to the other provinces.

So yes, they’ve done some great deals in their own rights, but why do we still see a lot of UNDECIDED voters when it comes to choosing their Mayor? Enter the Corruption issue! Both have had their own share of the ugly corruption issue. Whether it is coming from each other’s camp, it doesn’t really matter. What matters most is the people KNEW about this issue that’s like a termite waning the city. So it’s no surprise why the citizens of Cagayan de Oro are screaming for “CHANGE” – Yes!  “We Need Change” . As idealistic as we want to be, it’s a sad fact that corruption have become a synonym to Politics. They say, anyone “unstained” going up to ladder of politics either gets the corruption stain or they go out of the system. Hmmm..quite a challenge for the “pure” hear-ted ones.

I had the chance to personally meet these 2 candidates even before the filing of candidacy for the 2013 senatorial elections and I must say; they are both good when it comes to entertaining their visitors in their office though they have different personalities.

They are no doubt the most talked-about local candidates. Survey shows that they are in a close fight. But wait? Are they the only choice we have?  To everyone’s knowledge, there are 3 names a Kagay-anon can choose from to fill in that Mayor field in the ballot sheets. Mayor Dongkoy Emano, Governor Oca Moreno and businessman Elmer Francisco. So, we already know the first 2 candidates why not examine the 3rd candidate Mr. Elmer Francisco?

It is depressing to see how the country has been awfully divided. Take a look at the top 2 leaders of our country! They are a perfect example of how divided this country is. The underlying spat party against party is distressing.

This May 2013 Senatorial Elections, I see a huge responsibility being put on the shoulders of every Filipino. Whether choosing for local or national candidates, lets choose wisely, vote responsibly and most of all, makialam ka! for the 2013 elections.