ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, Philippines – Now, it’s the turn of the sons in a race for the top elective post in Zamboanga del Norte province in next year’s elections.
Dapitan City Mayor Seth Frederick Jalosjos, son of local political kingpin Romeo Jalosjos, is running for governor against Dipolog City Mayor Darel Dexter Uy, son of former governor Roberto Uy and former Dipolog mayor Evelyn Tang-Uy.
Jalosjos is 45 years old, while Uy is 43. Both finished college at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Jalosjos earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management, while Uy studied interior design.
Jalosjos also pursued culinary arts in Australia and studied education, leadership, and emerging technologies at Harvard University, while Uy managed their family’s businesses.
Meanwhile, Governor Rosalina Jalosjos, sister of Romeo, has stepped aside and decided to run for mayor of Dipolog, against Roberto. Dipolog is the Uy family’s political stronghold.
The 77-year-old Rosalina is a nurse, and a former councilor and mayor of Dapitan, the Jalosjos family’s stronghold. Roberto, who did not earn a degree, was trained in their family’s business.
In what appears to be an attempt to prevent the Jalosjos family’s resources from being diverted to Dipolog, Roberto’s wife, Evelyn Tang-Uy, filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for mayor of Dapitan. She lost when she ran for the position two elections ago.
She will face Sushmita Jalosjos, the 31-year-old daughter of Romeo. Sushmita is currently the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Zamboanga del Norte and an ex-officio member of the provincial board.
In the province’s 1st congressional district, Representative Roberto Uy Jr., a son and namesake of the former governor, has been challenged by Pinan town Mayor Cecilia Jalosjos, a sister of Romeo.
In the 2nd District, Aurelio Monteclaro, a staunch ally of the Jalosjoses, is running against Irene Labadlabad, daughter of Sindangan town Mayor Rosendo Labadlabad, an ally of the Uys.
In the 3rd District, former congressman Cesar Jalosjos, brother of Romeo, challenged reelectionist Representative Adrian Ian Amatong, a political ally of the Uys.
Jossil Macute, local elections supervisor, told Rappler on Tuesday, October 8, that the weeklong filing of COCs in Zamboanga del Norte proceeded smoothly.
“Except for some minor clerical problems, it was peaceful,” Macute said.
He added, however, that Federico “Kuya Jan” Jalosjos, who was declared a nuisance candidate by Comelec in the 2022 elections before the Supreme Court reversed the decision, has again filed his COC for congressman in the 1st District.
“And not only once, but twice,” Macute said.
A few hours before the last day of COC filing ended, Federico filed his COC for congressman in through a representative. Half an hour later, a woman dressed in a black hijab, niqab, and burka arrived at the Comelec provincial office, claiming to represent Federico “Kuya Jan” Jalosjos. This time, she filed Federico’s COC for board member in the 3rd District.
“Well, all the documents she presented were in order; we couldn’t do otherwise but accept it. Should there be a protest, it would be up to our legal department to decide,” Macute said. – Rappler.com