(Analysis)
BY CRIS DIAZ
MISAMIS ORIENTAL: The election victories of the siblings of the late Vicente “Dongkoy” Emano, then acknowledged political kingpin in Misamis Oriental, regained the lost political grounds of the “Padayon Pilipino” in the province.
Governor Yevgeny Vincente “Bambi”Emano , 49, who was serving his last term as provincial Governor of Misamis Oriental, handily won the Congress Second District of Misamis Oriental in the May election this year.
The heir to the political throne, the young Emano adeptly steered the sinking “Padayon Pilipino” to wrestle the lost political turf of Tagoloan back to Nadya Emano-Elipe in a hotly contested mayoral race in May 2022 election.
Tagoloan, a vote-rich town of 44,000 voters, east of Misamis Oriental, is the home of the “Padayon Pilipino” where the Emano patriarch first served as town Mayor in 1980 to 1986 before becoming provincial governor in 1986 to 1995.
Since 1986, the Emanos’ took turns in running the affairs of Tagoloan until an unknown political opposition, Gomer Sabio, wrestled the mayoral throne from Mayor Heckert Hernando Emano in 2019 with a margin of less than 1,000 votes.
Sabio’s victory over the Emanos’ in Tagoloa sent political ripples that reverberated across Misamis Oriental.
The political apprehensions that the end of the Emano era became the meat of political gossips, which exacerbated knowing that Padayon candidates also lost in the political skirmishes in Cagayan De Oro City.
The May 2022 local elections, however, showcased the political mettle of the Emanos’ and the resiliency of the battle-scarred “Padayon Pilipino” political party.
Congressman-elect Emano’s first cousin Saysay Emano was also reelected as provincial board member in Misamis Oriental’s Second District.
Aside from Nadya Emano, 44, who successfully took back Tagoloan town, her younger sister Yvy Emano, 31, garnered the highest votes as City Councilor – elect of the Cagayan de Oro City Council.
Another “Padayon Pilipino” candidate, Lourdan Susan, was elected Congressman of Cagayan de Oro’s First District firming up the Padayon’s political both in Misamis Oriental abd the capital city of Cagayan de Oro.
The “Padayon Pilipino,” (Pilipinos Move On) an accredited indigenous regional political party, was founded by “Dongkoy” Emano in 1986 to become a formidable political party, that lord over the local political battle field from 1986 until 2013.
The Padayon Pilipino weakened the more with the demise of the Emano patriarch in 2016. However, with Misamis Oriental Gov. Emano at the helm, the political organization remained intact and resilient -0-
