by Moises Cruz, Manila Times

January 26, 2022

ANAKALUSUGAN party-list Rep. Michael Defensor is ahead of incumbent Maria Josefina “Joy” Belmonte in the Quezon City mayoral race, according to a recent survey.

Of the 1,200 respondents surveyed from January 10 to 16, 53 percent favored Defensor while Belmonte got 39 percent, The Issues and Advocacy Center said.

Ed Malay, the director, said, “The Center learned that the main factor that contributed to the high disparity in the preference of respondents with regards to the mayoralty bids of Defensor and Belmonte was the failure of the City Government to adopt the necessary measures to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 virus on the health and welfare of city residents.”

In the campaign for vice mayor, veteran Winnie Castelo received 48 percent, compared to the incumbent Gian Carlo Sotto, who got 22 percent.

“Another factor is visibility. If you want the votes of the people, then makisama ka (get along with them). The voters are on the ground level. ” Mr. Malay stated.

He also noted that local candidates who have a strong relationship with national candidates who might assist the city or municipality are favored by voters.

Rep. Anthony Peter “Onyx” Crilosogo (Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats), the incumbent in the first congressional district, leads his closest competitor, Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde, 49-24, by a margin of 25 percent.

The second district reelection candidate, Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo (Lakas-CMD), was picked by 50 percent of voters, compared to 25 percent of her closest opponent, Ralph Wendel Tulfo Jr.

Reelectionist Rep. Allan Benedict Reyes (Nationalist People’s Coalition) was favored by 47 percent over his closest rival, Councilor Franz Pumaren, with 28 percent in the third legislative district.

It was a close race in the fourth congressional district, which is considered the Belmontes’ turf, with Marvin Rillo of the Defensor team trailing the top candidate on the Belmontes’ ticket by 3 percent, Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay.

In the fifth district, it was a close fight between Patrick Michael Vargas (39 percent) and entrepreneur Rose Lin (36 percent) from Defensor’s line-up.

And in the sixth district, Crisologo’s father, former representative Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo (Lakas-CMD), was 22 percent ahead of his immediate opponent, Councilor Marivic Co-Pilar, 51-29.

The Issues and Advocacy Center is made up of public relations and media professionals. Its poll in Quezon City was part of a larger scale that also encompassed Pasay, Pasig, Caloocan, Makati, San Juan, Navotas and Pateros.

Manila Standard, October 21, 2021

While majority of Metro Manila’s reelectionist local executives are expected to keep their posts in the 2022 elections, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is in danger of losing to her challenger, according to the results of an independent non-commissioned survey.

The biggest upset in Metro Manila could be the unseating of Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, who is falling behind challenger Rep. Mike Defensor, the polling firm Issues and Advocacy Center (IAC) said.

Defensor is enjoying a double-digit lead over Belmonte based on IAC’s Sept. 27 to Oct. 8 “Pulso ng Bayan” survey.

On the question of whom they will vote if the elections for mayor were held on the survey period, 41 percent of Quezon City respondents said they will vote for Defensor, while 27 percent said they will vote for Belmonte.

Responding to the survey results, Defensor’s vice mayoral running mate, former three-term Rep. Winnie Castelo, said: “The people of Quezon City clearly want change, and we believe in their ability to create change.”

The survey results showed Defensor leading Belmonte in all socioeconomic classes from ABC, D and E, according to IAC director Ed Malay.

“If this trend continues, there could be a new mayor for the storied city in 2022,” said Malay, a member of the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR).

Malay recalled that Quezon City’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic was disorganized and chaotic, which led to a spike in new infections.

“Belmonte never recovered politically from her ‘disappearing act’ last year while city residents were bracing for a harsh lockdown and desperately seeking strong leadership at the onset of the crisis,” Castelo said.

Due to Belmonte’s absence, city residents took to social media platforms and even created the puzzle game that they called “Finding Mayor.”

Belmonte eventually surfaced by distributing health kits contained in bags with her name on it, drawing even more resentment from the people.

“In sharp contrast, Mike and his fraternity brothers at the University of the Philippines used Viber and Facebook to launch Act as One and mobilized volunteers to help fight the pandemic in the city,” Castelo said.

“In fact, many of the city’s public and private hospitals got their first supplies of personal protective equipment for frontline medical workers from Act as One, which also distributed relief goods to poor households,” he pointed out.

CTTO – Manila Standard

#QuezonCity #Belmonte #Defensor #BBMSaraDefensorCastelo

BREAKING: Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, sinampahan ng kasong plunder ng isang empleyado ng Quezon City Hall. Ito’y may kaugnayan sa isyu ng umano’y overpriced na ayuda sa QC. “I am doing this for my children and the residents of Quezon City. Kung walang overprice, mas maraming pamilya pa sana ang nabigyan ng ayuda,” ayon sa complainant na si Clement Joy Mercado.

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QC MAYOR JOY BELMONTE MAY TULOG SA MAYO, 2022

Kung ang kampo ni Mayora Joy ang tatanungin, SIGURADO na raw sila sa tagumpay sa Mayo, 2022. LANDSLIDE pa nga ang sinasabi nila. Batay daw sa mga survey results na nakukuha nila, walang kadudaduda ang pagwawagi. Eka nga, let’s drink to that. Bakit pa magkakaroon ng halalan, sayang ang ang gagastusin para sa kampanya? Pero sa loob ng kanilang opisina, PANIC MODE na sila sapagkat palakas ng palakas ang suporta para sa kalabang Defensor Castelo. Bagamat ang Pamilyang Belmonte ay maraming nakapwesto sa Kyusi, ang pinagsanib na bilang ng barkadahang Defensor, Castelo at Crisologo ay papantay sa numero ng nakaupo at mas matibay ang ugat sa mga mamamayan. Kaunti nalang magkakaalaman na sa Quezon City. Kapag natalo si Mayora, MALALAGAS na rin ang ibang mga kamaganak pa nito na nakapwesto (bilang mga konsehal, wala na silang congressman matapos itong Halalan 2022) sapagkat sa mga susunod pang halalan wala nang makakatumbas pa sa matandang SB (Sonny Belmonte, ang sikat na tatay). Palpak ang anak na si Joy. Hindi kinayang pamunuan ang lungsod. Nilaglag ang mga dating nagsilbi sa ama. Pasaway. Mataray. Spoiled brat kasi. Minana lang ang pwesto, puro fumble pa. Hindi kasi dumaan sa hirap ng pagoorganisa, pakikipaglaro sa pulitika, pakikisalamuha sa masa at pagpapasalamat sa mga tagasuporta.

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The Belmonte family has been the dominant force in Quezon City politics for the past 30 years when the patriarch Sonny Belmonte, SB for short, started out as a three term district (QC 4th, 1992 – 2001) congressman, then shifted (due to term limits) to run and win as Quezon City mayor, again for the maximum three consecutive terms (2001 – 2010) and went back to the House of Representatives (2010 – 2019). All through these years Belmonte relatives were and still are active in various capacities – district congressmen, city councilors and even as party list representative running under the Belmonte dynasty controlled SB (what else?) party.

The top position in Quezon City is that of mayor, that SB held for nine years. When his vice mayor Bistek Bautista ran for mayor, SB’s daughter was fielded to run for vice mayor. Both won, as expected. In Quezon City, SB is the master political strategist forming alliances ensuring victory even before the votes are cast. In 2019, after the Bistek Joy tandem had served out their own three consecutive terms, Joy ran and won as mayor. Unfortunately, the daughter did not inherit the political savvy of the father. SB had to work his way to the top and relied on many allies and horse trading to achieve his victories (he was House Speaker for many years). Joy got her plum position on a silver platter being the daughter of SB, thus inheriting the city chief executive crown. In true dynastic fashion, a multitude of relatives occupy elective and appointive positions. Politics is truly a family business.

The pandemic really brought out the worst in the new mayor (at the same time that other first term mayors in Manila, Pasig and San Juan were creating waves in initiatives, creativity, efficiency and performance in public service). Patented temper tantrums mark the rule of the possessed woman. As she now runs for her second term, a confluence of events makes her re-election a lot more difficult. Bong Bong Marcos is leading all presidential surveys. He is running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. Ironically, prior to BBM’s sudden entry into that obscure national political party, Joy Belmonte was the NCR Chairperson of PFP. In a sudden twist of events, BBM endorsed Congressman Mike Defensor as the PFP standard bearer for Quezon City. Quezon City is a major BBM bailiwick and his anointed one for Quezon City will sway multitudes of voters to the Defensor side. Kingpins Bingbong Crisologo and Winnie Castelo (who has his own QC dynasty) are in the Defensor ticket.

Dynasties, sooner or later, end. Aside from Joy there are still relatives running for local office and they may still win a number of positions. In 2019, the Belmontes lost a councilor seat in District 1. Their SB party list nominees also failed to land a seat (up to a maximum of three per party list) thus giving up the seat they previously held. Should Joy lose as mayor in 2022, it would be the equivalent of a dynastic decapitation as she currently holds the highest elective position among the Belmontes. It could break the heart of the aging patriarch, SB, who built an empire only to see it crumble but he only has his daughter to blame.

pinoy.news/2019/08/04/manila-best-moreno-87-quezon-city-worst-belmonte-65-bagsak-dilaw-dynasty-kasi/

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pinoy.news/2019/08/15/qc-politics-mayor-fires-first-shot-for-2022-due-to-her-own-poor-performance/ https://balitangbalita.com/2019/07/31/malacanan-investigates-quezon-city-for-illegal-termination-of-employees-and-consultants/