IBA, Zambales — Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and candidates from his Sulong Zambales Party (SZP) emerged victorious in the recent provincial elections, securing 11 out of 12 major elective positions, including both congressional seats.
In addition to their provincial-level dominance, SZP and allied parties clinched eight mayoral and eight vice-mayoral posts across the province’s 13 municipalities.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) officially proclaimed Gov. Ebdane and other winning candidates early Tuesday morning, May 13, at the provincial Comelec office in Iba.
Ebdane, who sought his third consecutive term as governor under the SZP banner, won by a landslide with 306,367 votes (90.85%). His lone opponent, Ayta community leader Chito Balintay, ran as an independent and garnered 30,857 votes (9.15%). This marks Ebdane’s fifth electoral victory since first winning the governorship in 2010.
Meanwhile, incumbent Vice Governor Jacqueline Khonghun (Lakas) was re-elected unopposed, receiving 279,807 votes. A longtime political ally of Ebdane, she had been his running mate in the two previous elections.
Her brother, Zambales First District Representative Jay Khonghun (Lakas), was likewise unchallenged and secured re-election with 160,887 votes.
In the Second Legislative District, Congresswoman Doris “Bing” Maniquiz (Lakas), another Ebdane ally, defeated former representative Cheryl Deloso-Montalla (NPC) with 173,743 votes (68.41%) to 79,928 votes (31.59%).
In the First District, SZP candidates won all three provincial board seats uncontested. The winning board members were Cecil Felarca-Rafanan (68,244 votes), Ike Delgado (64,243), and Elmer Tumaca (57,734).
In the Second District, SZP continued its dominance by capturing six out of seven board seats. Victorious candidates included Rundy Ebdane (158,804), Reena Mae Collado (137,615), Samantha Ablola (123,806), Jim Abasta (110,623), Eric Matibag (100,127), and Reynaldo Tarongoy (86,847).
The only non-SZP winner was Jury Deloso (NPC), who placed fourth with 112,502 votes. Interestingly, Deloso, a nephew of former Governor Amor Deloso and previously a rival of Ebdane, had once been an SZP candidate himself—winning as top board member for the Second District in 2016.