2010 Manila local elections


Local elections were held in the Manila on May 10, 2010, within the Philippine general election. The voters will elect for the elective local posts in the city: the mayor, vice mayor, the six Congressmen, and the councilors, six in each of the city's six legislative districts.

Background

Presidential Adviser to the Peace Process Avelino Razon announced his candidacy on August 9, 2009 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium running for the We Are the Reason Movement, under the Nationalist People's Coalition.
Mayor Alfredo "Fred" Lim and Vice Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso announced their candidacies on Moreno's birthday party at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on October 25, 2009, hosted by German Moreno, a known Lim ally and Isko's mentor. Moreno, despite being backed by the Asenso Manileño, will be Lim's running mate.
Former Mayor and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza ran to reclaim his seat. Atienza has Sixth District Councilor Ma. Lourdes "Bonjay" Isip-Garcia as his vice mayoral running mate. Isip-Garcia first won as Councilor in 1992 and later became both Deputy City Administrator and City Administrator. In 1992, she was the youngest elected councilor in Manila's history.
Atienza served as mayor from 1998 to 2007, and also served as Lim's running mate when Lim served as mayor from 1992 to 1998. Rep. Amado Bagatsing, a notable ally of Asenso founder Danny Lacuna, left the latter's party and joined Atienza's ship. Meanwhile, Lim supported the Liberal national ticket of Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Mar Roxas, while holding his own Kapayapaan, Kaunlaran at Katarungan standard; Moreno supported the Nacionalista ticket headed by Manuel Villar.
After announcement of the Lim-Moreno ticket, former Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon announced that he had chosen Moreno as his running mate. After Moreno's announcement that he will run under Lim's banner, at least six councilors bolted from Asenso and went to Razon's side. Moreno eventually became a guest candidate in Razon's ticket, as his vice mayoral candidate.
The primary issue for the upcoming campaign is the retention of the oil depots at Pandacan. Lim and Moreno supported its retention while Atienza and Bagatsing supported its removal.
Atienza, leader of the Liberal's Atienza wing, which was not recognized by both the Commission on Elections and the Supreme Court, will be the "guest candidate" of the Joseph Estrada-led Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. Atienza, a Gloria Macapagal Arroyo supporter, has maintained cordial relations with Estrada. In the end, Atienza's certificate of candidacy stated that he was nominated by Liberal, but under the "Buhayin ang MayniLA" ticket, and as a guest candidate of the PMP. His guest candidacy was later upgraded to a full-fledged nomination by the PMP as announced by the party's director for political affairs.

Results

For Mayor

Mayor Alfredo "Fred" Lim defeated former Mayor and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose "Lito" Atienza Jr., and Presidential Adviser to the Peace Process Avelino Razon.

For Vice Mayor

Vice Mayor Francisco "Isko" Moreno Domagoso narrowly defeated Sixth District Councilor Maria Lourdes "Bonjay" Isip-Garcia in vice mayoral race.
  • Moreno's Asenso Manileño party is in coalition with the Nacionalista Party, and is a candidate of Lim's KKK and a "guest candidate" of Razon's We Are the Reason Movement.

For Representatives

First District

Rep. Benjamin "Atong" Asilo was also co-nominated by the KKK. Councilor Arlene Koa was co-nominated by Asenso Manileño. Former Rep. Ernesto Nieva, who was supposed to run again under Lakas-Kampi-CMD, died on February 16, 2010, due to cardiac arrest. His daughter Mina was designated as a candidate by substitution.

Second District

Rep. Jaime Lopez of Lakas Kampi CMD was term limited. His son Councilor Carlo Lopez, ran for his place.

Third District

Rep. Zenaida "Naida" Angping won over Councilor Manuel Zarcal.

Fourth District

Rep. Trisha Bonoan-David defeated her predecessor, former Rep. Rodolfo "Rudy" Bacani.

Fifth District

Rep. Amado Bagatsing defeated his predecessor former Rep. Joey Hizon.

Sixth District

Former Rep. Rosenda Ann "Sandy" Ocampo defeated her closest rivals, incumbent Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. and former Vice Mayor Danilo "Danny" Lacuna.

City Council elections

Each of Manila's six legislative districts sends six councilors to the City Council. The election is via plurality-at-large voting: A voter can vote up to six candidates; the six candidates with the highest number of votes in a particular district are elected.

Reaction

Lim won the election with more than 250,000 votes clear of Atienza, his nearest rival. After his proclamation on the afternoon of May 12, Lim thanked the Manileños for their support, as Razon conceded to Lim as early as before midnight of May 10. Atienza said that he will contest the result of election as the results did not match the random manual audit of the ballots. Moreno had an even easier time against his nearest rival, Bonjay Isip-Garcia as he won with a margin of almost 380,000 votes.
Atienza put the result under protest. The Commission on Elections' First Division dismissed Atienza's protest on September 13, 2011, confirmed later by the commission en banc, saying that votes included within Atienza's protest would not be enough to overtake Lim's lead. Atienza subsequently withdrew his protest on January 11, 2013.