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Currimao riding wave of change? New mayoralty candidate scores big in online polls

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Laoag City—A Facebook poll conducted February 11-18, 2019 by radio station DZJC shows entrepreneur Edward “Boyet” Quilala amassing 72 percent of the votes in the mayoralty race for the Municipality of Currimao. He is running against incumbent Mayor Gladys Go Cue who obtained a 28 percent vote share in the survey participated in by over 1,200 netizens. An online poll conducted earlier, January 28-February 4, 2019, by The Ilocos Times also saw Mr. Quilala winning over Mrs. Cue, with the former obtaining 58 percent of the almost 3,000 votes cast.

In an interview with The Ilocos Times, Mr. Quilala expressed his gratitude for the very strong support he has been getting from his townmates. Reading from the poll comments and through his personal interactions with Currimaoeños, Mr. Quilala surmised that “Nabannogda metten” [They have grown tired] and that they are crying for change.

However, while Mr. Quilala is appreciative of the snowballing support, he says he is careful not to be too optimistic.

“I do not have the pretentions na magaling kasi ako o sikat ako, hindi e, wala sa akin ‘yan; nagkataon lang na nagsawa na siguro ang mga tao sa kanila at ako lang naglakas-loob na magprisinta upang may mapagpilian ang mga tao.”

Mr. Quilala ran as councilor in 2004, but did not make the cut. He ranked ninth, just a notch away from the winning circle.

“Pero iba ngayon, ramdam na ramdam mo talaga ‘yung suporta ng mga tao,” he noted.

If elected, he says he will work very hard to lead the people in ushering Currimao towards progress and inclusiveness.

“With its many gifts and resources, there is no reason Currimao could stagnate,” he mused. Mr. Quilala's running mate is Kent Raguindin, an incumbent Currimao councilor.

Boyet is the son of Cirilo Quilala, who served as Currimao mayor from 1965 to 1986. When local elections were held in 1988 after the transition to a new constitution during the Aquino presidency, Wilbur, a son of the Go family, was elected as mayor, with family members taking turns in succeeding him from office for 31 years.

While he is not the official candidate of the Marcoses, Mr. Quilala, who is running under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, says he will always be fully supportive to the Marcoses, having known them since his childhood, with his father being one of the staunchest supporters of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

DZJC Aksyon Radyo Laoag, one of the oldest and most popular radio stations in Ilocos Norte, uses social media to gather public opinion on relevant social issues. The Currimao survey forms part of a series of online polls the radio station is conducting for the various local posts in the province and its cities and municipalities. Previous DZJC online polls showed Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc winning big (90%) in the Ilocos Norte gubernatorial race against Rodolfo C. Fariñas, Michael M. Keon posting victory (58%) over incumbent mayor Chevylle Fariñas in the mayoralty contest in Laoag City, Reynaldo “Ryan” Remigio surging ahead (71%) in the first district congressional race over Christina “Ria” Fariñas, and Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Eugenio Angelo M. Barba posting a 55.2% win in the three-way contest for Ilocos Norte’s second congressional district.

Facebook polls are an informal way of getting the public pulse. While they are different from scientifically conducted surveys conducted on the ground, they provide insights on candidates’ online following and likeability.

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