It will be Davide versus Garcia. The coming elections will be another occasion for the forces of the Garcias from Dumanjug to lock horns with the forces of the Davides from Argao. In the provincial level, Governor Junjun Davide has already proven himself capable of beating Pablo John F. Garcia in 2013 and Winston F. Garcia in 2016, both sons of former Governor Pablo P. Garcia and younger brothers of Gwendolyn F. Garcia, incumbent representative of the third district. Although this time, it is Agnes A. Magpale who is pitted against Gwen. To my mind, this coming electoral contest is really a fight between Davide and Garcia.
Somehow, this is a fight between Argao and Dumanjug, or between Argawanons and Dumanjuganons.
I am excited about this contest because my late mother was from Argao and a diehard follower of Davide, highly respected and much loved by Argawanons, while my late father was from Dumanjug, a distant relative and former classmate of Gwen's father, Noy Pabling, also revered and esteemed by Dumanjuganons. However, the incumbent mayor of Dumanjug is a young dynamic millennial, Gungun Gica who won over another of Gwen's brothers, Nelson. Here, the Davides have a distinct advantage because the incumbent mayor of Argao, Dr. Stanley Caminero belongs to the Davide party.
Argao is much bigger than Dumanjug both in population and in economic development. Argao is a first-class municipality while Dumanjug is third-class. Argao has a voting population of 45,139 as of 2015. Dumanjug only has 32,494. Argao has 45 barangays while Dumanjug only has 37. Another advantage of the Davides over the Garcias is that the current congressman representing the Second District where Argao belongs is Congressman Willy Caminero who is a staunch ally of Davide. It can be recalled that Willy Caminero beat Pabling Garcia in the elections when both Argao and Dumanjug still belonged to the Second District. This time the Garcias do not have a solid Dumanjug. The Gicas are pushing for a Magpale-Davide win.
Dumanjug, however, has a better political record than Argao. Dumanjug has already produced three governors, namely Dionisio Jakosalem (1907-1912), Pablo Garcia (1995-2002), and Gwendolyn Garcia (2004-2013). The Garcias attempted to have a fourth and a fifth governor from Dumanjug, but Pablo John lost to Junjun Davide in 2013, and Winston Garcia also lost to Junjun in 2016. Argao has not produced any governor. Francisco Emilio F. Remotigue, although with roots from Argao, was born in Langin, Ronda, Cebu. He was appointed as President Marcos' first DSWD Secretary (it used to be called Social Welfare administrator.)
Governor Junjun Davide, based on my surveys, appears to be heading for a landslide as vice governor. But he is campaigning hard not for himself but for Agnes A. Magpale. With Junjun and Argao solidly behind Magpale, Gwen may yet taste her first defeat in her entire political career. I can be wrong but I have a strong feeling that I can be right, too.