Former mayor Mercy Apura to run with incumbent VM

CEBU, Philippines — Former Carcar City mayor Mercy Apura has confirmed she will be running again for the mayoralty post, alongside incumbent Vice Mayor Efren Quijano.

In a press conference yesterday, Apura said that she is running for mayor again in order to continue her projects which started during her term.

The projects include the town’s terminal, livestock auction market, the Carcar City College, and other services, which Apura said the Carcaranons badly needed.

“Mobalik gyud ko og dagan para sa mga Carcaranon. Gusto gyud ko mobalik sa pulitika kay gusto nako ipadayon nako ang akong mga proyekto nga wala nahuman pero karon wala gihapon nahuman. Gusto ko mahuman tungod kay kanang tanan nga mga proyekto nga nakaanhay sa akong panahon gamit kaayo na sa mga katawhan sa Carcar,” Apura said.

Apura added that she also wants to continue the previous programs of her administration wherein they subsidized P5,000 to all Carcaranons admitted at the Cebu Provincial Hospital located in the town.

“Gusto nako nga ipadayon kini nga programa ug palapdan pa,” Apura added.

Apura became mayor in 2019 to 2022. She sought reelection in 2022 but lost to incumbent Carcar City Mayor Patrick Barcenas.

For his part, Vice Mayor Quijano said that he decided to run with Apura, as he hopes to push for his projects, which he said is impossible to be implemented if he remains under the camp of Barcenas.

The ex-policeman and the first time politician disclosed that he was stripped of his committee chairmanship. He was then the chairman of the city council on peace and order.

Apart from Quijano, Apura bared her complete lineup dubbed as the “Green Team” composed of incumbent city councilors Ian del Rosario, Mae Tabora and Atty. Mitch Zozobrado.

Other slots for councilor will be filled out by Kashi dela Cerna, Kimbox Lapinid, Richard Barangan, Marco Espiritu, Ed Lawas, Carlo Aldemita.

Mercy’s husband, former Carcar City Mayor Nice Apura, will be part of her councilorial slate.

Nice became the city vice mayor in 2007 to 2010 then a city mayor in 2010 to 2019.

Nice said that he decided to run for councilor because he believes he still has plenty to share to the city.

“Ako nidagan pagka konsehal kay daghan pa ko og ikatampo sa siyudad,” said the 65-year-old politician.

Nice added of the 15 barangays, only two to five are allies. But he said they don’t see this as the main indicator since in the 2022 elections, all the 15 barangays were even their allies but his wife lost.

“So, ang among focus ani kay adto na mi diretso sa katawhan,” Nice further said.