Mayor Mike Rama is proclaimed winner in the May 2022 elections. CDN Digital photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Familiar faces will be joining the group of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama in the 2025 midterm elections.
On Wednesday, the mayor said that he will still have his nephew, Rep. Eduardo “Edu” Rama Jr., for south district congressman while Rep. Rachel Marguerite “Cutie” del Mar will be joining them for north district representative.
Del Mar, daughter of the late congressman Raul del Mar, was Rama’s ally when he was still with the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) of former mayor Tomas Osmeña.
READ: Rama-Garcia tandem seeks reelection in 2025 polls
Rama, leader of the People’s Progressive Party’s Partido-Barug PDP-Laban, said slots will also be given to incumbent councilors Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr., Jaypee Labella, Jerry Guardo, and Noel Wenceslao.
Meanwhile a selection process is underway for others who are being considered for inclusion in their north district slate. These are Dr. Peter “PM” Mancao, former Calape Mayor Ernest Herrera II, Cebu City United Vendors Association Inc. (CCUVA) President Maria Pino, lawyer Melvin Legazpi, and Sambag I Barangay Captain Aileen Guardo.
He said that selection will be based on the outcome of an ongoing survey and consultations.
And since, BOPK is no longer active in Cebu City’s political scene, Rama said that he is considering the inclusion of incumbent Councilor Nestor Archival, Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President Franklyn Ong and former Sanguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) President Jessica Resch in his slate.
In the south district, he will still have incumbent Councilors Jocelyn Pesquera, Donaldo Hontiveros, Rey Gealon, Philip Zafra, Renato Osmeña, Jr., James Anthony Cuenco, and Francis Esparis. The final slot will go to his son, lawyer Mikel Francisco Rama.
Cebu City residents will have to select eight councilors from the congressional district where they belong in the 2025 elections.
READ: Raymond-Mikel tandem in 2025: Possible, says Mike Rama
On February 15, Rama announced that Mikel will already be making his political debut in next year’s election as a candidate for councilor in the south district.
He, however, said that nothing will is final until the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) in October.
“We will never know. Only God knows. Mao na siya, matira ang matibay man ‘ning amoa”, Rama said.
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