Bencyrus Ellorin FIVE days into the May 9 polls, the local administration slate is in high spirits after the Xavier University-Kinaadman Research Center released its survey showing Team OKKE (Oscar Moreno, Klarex Uy, Kikang Uy and Ed Cabanlas) in commanding lead over their rivals. Mayor Moreno showed a commanding 16-point lead over 2nd district congressman Rufus Rodriguez and 20 point lead over former Mayor Dongkoy Emano.  The XU survey showed Moreno’s 42 percent  rating is a 12 percentage from the first survey done before the official local campaign season. Rodriguez stagnated at 26 percent while Emano’s 22 percent is a reduction of 10 percentage points. With the encouraging snapshot of the May 9 election, the administration slate is working for a 16-0 victory in the race for the city council. Vice mayoral race survey leader Rainier Joaquin “Kikang” Uy said they would would work doubly hard in the remaining days, remaining hours of the campaign to bring into the winning circle all candidates for the 16-person city council. The most surprising result of the XU survey is the turnaround in the vice mayoral and 2nd district congressional races. The survey done two weeks before the elections and the local candidates’ debate showed Uy’s 10-point increase from 27 percent to 37 percent, turning the table against incumbent Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas who received 30 percent, and Councilor Roger Abaday who had 15 percent. Lawyer Ed Cabanlas registered a 17-point increase at 33 percent over Abante Mindanao partylist congressman Maxie Rodriguez’s 31 percent and Councilor Ramon Tabor’s 29 percent. Incumbent 1st district congressman Klarex Uy pulled his survey lead at 53 percent over Councilor Candy Darimbang’s 41 percent. Mayor Moreno, in a press conference, said they are confident the people of Cagayan de Oro will reclaim justice at city hall. Moreno, who is running for a second term, has been hobbled by a city council that refuses to support his key programs. But despite a contrarian local legislature, Moreno was able to build 450 new classrooms in 20 schools; improved the city hall-owned JR Borja Hospital, built farm-to-market roads and improved rural health centers. The snapshot of things to come after the May 9 polls, Moreno said is a testament that the people want the injustice caused by the city council corrected. Kikang Uy, for his part, said no one should be left behind in their team. Although the XU survey showed at least five administration city councilor bets in the winning circle in District 1, and at least four in District 2, Uy said they will double their team effort to ensure a 16-0 win. With the results showing a major turnaround in the pre-campaign period survey that actually had Emano, 32% lead Moreno who had 30% and Rodriguez 26%. For the vice mayor, the first survey had Vice Mayor Acenas leading Uy 43 to 27. Abaday had 17%. For congressman in the 1st district, Klarex is pulling away from 49 to 53% ; while Darimbang slid from 46 – 43%. In the second district Ed Cabanlas vastly improved from 16 to 33% to overtake Rodriguez and Tabor who both had 36 percent. Rodriguez slid to 31.7 percent and Tabor to 28.8 percent. It is high morale at the Moreno camp days before the vote. But as they say, let’s wait until the fat lady sings before exploding into celebration.