Ocampos
wins by landslide; makes history
by Karl Imanoel Aoanan
Misamis
Occidental incumbent Governor Loreto Leo Ocampos has made history by
winning a landslide victory in the May 2004 Gubernatorial Race in the
province.
Ocampos
has now placed himself as the first incumbent governor of the province
to get reelected in the post martial law era. Gov. Leo, as Misamisnons
fondly calls the Governor, won over Connie Lomanta-Bernardo, and Christopher
Ramayrat in a convincing fashion garnering 92% of the total votes cast
for the gubernatorial candidates. With Ocampos’ more than 90%
of votes garnered, this is the first time that a gubernatorial candidate
won overwhelmingly over an opponent in the 75-year history of the province.
Based
on the official tabulation of the Provincial Board of Canvassers headed
by COMELEC Provincial Supervisor Atty. Roselyn J. Smith, Ocampos established
a solid lead in every municipality, and the three cities of the province,
totaling his votes to 179,955 compared to Lomanta-Bernardo’s 11,526,
and Ramayrat’s far-cry of only 3,781 votes.
Among
Ocampos’ many accomplishments for the province, he was the 2003
Most Outstanding Governor of the Philippines, and was appointed by President
Arroyo as the Chair of the Regional Development Council (RDC) 10. Ocampos
is the first from Misamis Occidental to hold such position.
Meanwhile,
Journalist Morpheus Agot won as the number one board member representing
the second district with a total of 73,770 votes. Reelectionist Rosario
Balais won as the number one board member for the first district with
57,023 votes. Franklin Omandam, Jimmy Regalado, and Inocencio Pagalaran
Jr. for the first district; Dello Lood, Tito Decina, and Carlou Zafra
for the second district completes the cast of the eight board members
of the province.
The
Provincial Board of Canvassers of Misamis Occidental proclaimed incumbent
Governor Ocampos along with all the winning candidates in the province
on 14 May 2004 at the Function Hall of the Capitol in Oroquieta City.
Provincial
Information Office
Capitol, Oroquieta City
