As the Catanduanes Tribune observes the 44th anniversary of its founding by the late publisher Fredeswindo T. Gianan Sr., another event that could influence the course of the province’s history begins.
This Friday, March 28, marks the beginning of the 45-day campaign period for the 2025 local elections on May 12.
Already, individual candidates and major political groupings have started their house-to-house sorties early, with the activity already resembling the daily occurrence on a usual campaign but minus the noise of blaring vehicle-mounted sound systems.
Having an early head start is an advantage, considering that the campaign period is too short to enable an aspirant for a provincial position. One would have to visit seven barangays every day aside from making time for the proclamation rally, the municipal rallies and the miting de avance.
So far, the advance campaign activities by the aspirants have been peaceful and without incident.
The real noise begins this Friday when the candidates’ campaign jingles begin disturbing the relative peace of the 315 villages on the island.
Proclamation rallies to introduce the candidates to the public will be held starting March 28 and probably during the weekend, with the event preceded by motorcades and a Mass at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and each town’s main parish church.
For now, it is still too early to predict the likely winners when the vote count ends by early morning of May 13 but political observers as well as the public already have an inkling as to who gets his hand raised at the end of the political exercise.
In the gubernatorial race, Vice Governor Peter “Boss Te” Cua is widely tipped to succeed his brother but his main rival, Dr. Patrick Alain Azanza, is making inroads in some areas, attacking the Cua’s Chinese parentage and alleged business monopoly.
But the former university president is not immune to similar propaganda, especially on his purported meritocracy at CatSU, harassment of student council officials and certain anomalous transactions during his stint, including the stalled economic zone and sci-tech park.
In the battle for the top Sangguniang Panlalawigan position, PBM Robert Fernandez tests his undefeated political career against former Vice Governor Shirley Abundo, who lost to Governor Joseph Cua in 2022.
The governor is leaving his Capitol seat after three straight terms to fill the shoes of Virac Mayor Samuel Laynes who seeks to unseat first-termer Congressman Eulogio Rodriguez.
Together with former Mayor and Rodriguez strategist Atty. Sinforoso Sarmiento Jr., these last six political characters comprise the three most compelling races in the 2025 local elections in Catanduanes.
Who gets proclaimed as the capital town’s chief executive will depend on whether the Manila-based lawyer would be able to use his rhetoric to counter the governor’s considerable political organization and decades of dispensing assistance to constituents in need.
On the other hand, Abundo may have some edge in being the only woman in running for a provincial post but what happened during her stint as acting governor in the wake of Cua’s year-long suspension could become fodder for PBM Fernandez who is certainly no pushover.
It will be the congressional contest who will have the most impact on the island province.
A second term for Rodriguez will be a repeat of the past three years: local infrastructure projects of the DPWH Catanduanes bid out and implemented by the regional office, millions in taxes on contractors paid on the mainland instead of the local BIR office, hundreds of construction workers losing their jobs and local businesses missing out on supplying materials for local contracts.
It will be up to Mayor Laynes to lay out his vision for the province of Catanduanes, bank on his administration’s award-winning governance and convince voters that he would be a better legislator than the incumbent.
That said, let the campaign propaganda battle, and the noise, begin.