By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur—Mayor Grace Carmel Paredes-Bravo of this town has willingly joined the National Unity Party (NUP) in Agusan del Sur, becoming a part of the local ruling political party led by Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza from the province’s second congressional district.
Her affiliation with Plaza’s group, known as “Team Eddiebong” (after Adolph Edward’s nickname), has put an end to the bitter political rivalry that spanned decades between her father, Ceferino Paredes Jr., a former governor and congressman of the province’s lone district, and Democrito and Valentina Plaza, the political patriarchs of Agusan del Sur who have since passed away.
Before joining the NUP, Bravo sought permission from her parents, Eden and Ceferino Jr., who gave her their approval.
Her mother Eden said in a private message interview sid Bravo indeed had asked permission to them. “It was her decision being a mature and independent politician,” mother Eden said.
The rivalry between the Plazas and the elder Paredes began in 1984 when Ceferino ran as an opposition candidate for a seat in Batasang Pambansa but lost to Democrito. In 1986, Ceferino was appointed officer-in-charge governor after the EDSA revolt. He won the 1988 election against Valentina when she made a comeback bid. However, Valentina, a long-time governor during the Marcos regime in the 1970s, defeated Ceferino Jr. in the 1988 polls.
Ceferino Paredes Jr. served as a congressman for two terms from 1992 to 1998 before challenging Valentina again.
Bravo’s older brother, John Columban, tried for the mayoralty seat in the 2019 elections but narrowly lost to administration candidate Solomon Rufila. Bravo, however, secured a significant victory against Rufila in the last year’s election. John Columban won as Sangguniang Bayan member in last year’s polls.
The elder Paredes and his wife Eden, both in their late 70s, have since lived a quiet life and stayed away from the public eye.
In a private message interview, Plaza and Gov. Santiago Cane, Jr. revealed that Bravo’s decision to join NUP had no political dynamics; she expressed her desire to join, and Cane and Team Eddiebong accepted it.
Recently, Bravo took her oath of office as an NUP member before Cane at the provincial capitol. While her political allies from the 2022 local election ran as independent candidates under the “Gugma sa Lungsod” group, Bravo stated that some of them might join NUP individually, but it would be their own decision, not influenced by her.
Bravo mentioned feeling comfortable joining NUP, citing her brother-in-law, former congressman Narciso Bravo Jr. from Masbate, as one of the party’s pioneers and secretary-general since 2019.
As for the upcoming 2025 local polls, Bravo clarified that it remains unclear if she will be the administration’s candidate, as that decision will be up to the party.
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