Moreno machinery, projects spelled difference in mayoral race: Soriano

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THE kind of political machinery of Mayor Oscar Moreno, and his infrastructure projects and health program spelled the difference in last week’s elections, former vice mayor Antonio Soriano said over the weekend.

Soriano, who served as a councilor and subsequently, vice mayor during the Magtajas administration, said this as he analyzed the results of last Monday’s elections in the city.

“Ang atong pagtan-aw ni Mayor Moreno, daghan gyud ang iyang nahimo ug plus factor sa iyang kada-ogan ang iyang maayong performance sama sa paghimog mga infrastructure, and health program,” he said.

Former mayor Vicente Emano, he said, put up a good fight and ranked second in the mayoral race because he developed strong relations with many barangay officials for at least 15 years.

Soriano said the barangay officials who felt they were not taken care of by the three-year old Moreno administration opted to remain with Emano.

But he said Emano’s weak point was his 15-year grip on Cagayan de Oro politics. “Ang impression sab sa mga tawo, nga insakto na, ug  human na  ang panahon ni Emano. Ma-o na nga napilde siya.”

As for Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the 2nd District, it was the congressman’s involvement in the attempt to approved the proposed Bangsamoro law that really adversely affected his mayoral bid.

“Ang issue gayud sa BBL ma-o ang naghatag negative impression sa mga tawo ni Congressman Rodriguez,”  Soriano said.

While the congressman can be proud of his performance in the Lower House, he said, many of the voters saw the Rodriguezes to be more effective as legislators rather than in being executives.

He said this was the reason why Rodriguez’s younger brother Maximo Jr. was voted as the new representative of the city’s 2nd District, a post the elder Rodriguez would vacate.

Soriano said one of factors for the younger Rodriguez’s victory in the 2nd District is the congressman’s  “good performance” in Congress.

“Mao sab ni nga tungod sa iyang maayong performance, gihatagan sab siyag pabor sa katawhan ug ilang gipili sa pagka-congressman si Maxie,” he said.