By: Catherine Cueto

Familiar faces reined anew and retained their mayoral posts in the eastern part of Metro Manila during the national and local elections on Monday.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto got a fresh mandate as the local Commission on Elections officially proclaimed him the winner Tuesday morning.

Sotto was proclaimed to have won by the City Board of Canvassers as he got 335,851 votes against his opponent, Iyo Bernardo, who got 45,604 votes.

Sotto said he wishes Bernardo "peace of mind" in his message now that the elections are over.

He also called for unity for all Pasig residents.

"Malinaw ang tinig ng Pasigueno. Malinaw ang tinig ng buong Pasig. Tuloy ang pagbabago sa lungsod. Paiigtingin pa natin ang mga nasimulan na (The voice of our Pasig residents are clear. The voice of the entire people of Pasig is clear. Change will continue in the city. We will continue what we started)," he said.

His running mate, Dodot Jaworski, a former PBA player and son of basketball legend Robert Jaworski Sr., won the vice mayoralty race against Junjun Concepcion and Christian Sia.

Reelectionist Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo won the congressman post against Ricky Eusebio and Rex Maliuanag. 

In Marikina City, the bitter rivalry between incumbent Mayor Marcy Teodoro and former mayor and Congressman Bayani Fernando ended as the former overwhelmingly beat the latter.

Teodoro garnered 183,878 votes against Fernando's 40,149.

According to a statement from the camp of Teodoro, they consider the election results as a "landslide victory."

The returning mayor's wife, Maan, won the congressional race in the 1st District of Marikina, as she got 68,572 votes. Her closest rival had 24,584 votes.  

Meanwhile, Teodoro's running mate, Marion Andres, also won. All councilors under Teodoro's ticket also won.

Teodoro was proclaimed the winner just before dawn on Tuesday.

In an interview, Teodoro said he was not expecting the landslide victory.

"No, I did not expect this. But I am thanking all of our supporters for their trust and confidence. This is overwhelming on my part, and I am honored by the number of votes," he said

Teodoro said with the elections over, he can refocus on the COVID-19 exit plan and the continued reviving of the tourism and economy of the city. 

In Mandaluyong City, the tandem of a returning local chief executive and his daughter-in-law won the mayoral and vice mayoral posts.

Returning Mayor-elect Benjamin Abalos Sr. said that he hopes to live up to the voters' expectations.

"I hope to be worthy of my people's trust," Abalos said.

He won against Florencio Solomon by more than 100,000 votes.

His daughter-in-law, Menchie Abalos, ran unopposed. She is the city's current mayor and will slide down to vice mayor. She is the wife of former MMDA chairman and former city mayor Benhur Abalos Jr., the present campaign manager of the BBM-Sara tandem.

They were proclaimed winners by the Commission on Elections shortly before midnight on May 10.

In San Juan, reelectionist Mayor Francis Zamora was also proclaimed past 10 in the evening.

He won against Jun Usman by close to 60,000 votes. His running mate Walden Villa also won the vice mayoral post.

In the neighboring province of Rizal, familiar names were proclaimed as winners led by newly-elected Governor Nina Ynares.

She will take over her mother's post, incumbent Gov. Nini Ynares.

Her younger sibling, Casimiro "Jun" Ynares III, made a successful comeback to a mayoral post after he won easily in Antipolo City. He will take over from his wife, incumbent Mayor Andrea "Andeng" Ynares.

His vice mayoral candidate Pining Gatlabayan, also won by a landslide.

In Binangonan, an Ynares-Ynares tandem won, with Eng. Cesar Ynares and brother Boyet Ynares, winning the mayor and vice mayor posts in the municipality.

In San Mateo, though, a new face emerged as Omie Rivera was proclaimed the winner against Vice Mayor Jose "Paeng" Diaz.

His wife, incumbent Mayor Cristina Diaz, who ran for Congress for San Mateo, lost to former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jose "Jojo" Garcia.

In Cainta, former four-time PBA Most Valuable Player Alvin Patrimonio lost to Elen Nieto. His running mate Ace Servillon won as vice mayor.