CAGAYAN de Oro City Councilor Nadya Emano-Elipe on Thursday, February 15, said she is likely to challenge incumbent Mayor Oscar Moreno should the Padayon Pilipino Party decide to field her for the mayoral post in the 2019 elections.
Emano-Elipe said she will run if the local party, founded by his father ex-mayor Vicente Emano, finds her the best candidate to run against the Moreno.
But, she said it is still early to conclude and decide because a lot of things may happen and change along the way.
"Wala pa nahisgutan sa family ug sa partido ang election though naa nay mga suggestions pero wala pa gyud na-finalize kay layo pa ang piliay ug daghan pa kaayo posible mahitabo," Emano-Elipe said.
The elder Emano, over the weekend, said he is already giving up politics and he might endorse his daughter over his son, Governor Yevgeny Emano, who has still a term left to serve the province of Misamis Oriental.
Emano-Elipe said she will stand and do her very best should the party find her the most capable and deserving candidate to lead the city in the coming years.
Emano-Elipe started her political career in 2010 and since then she has become one of the top choices for a seat in the city council.
She secured the number one spot for district two in the last polls.
"Kung makita sa partido nga angayan, capable, dawaton ug kung unsa ang challenge nga ihatag paningkamotan nga matindogan, barugan ug mahimo ang tanan nga angayan buhaton," Emano-Elipe said.
"I'm sure tan-awon sa partido ang tanan factors busa depende pa gihapon kay dili man ta basta-basta mosalang sa giyera kung kulang ta sa armas," she added.
The opposition councilor said it’s up for the people to decide whether they are satisfied with the present administration or they need change or new leadership.
Emano-Elipe also said she could not tell whether the bunch of administrative cases faced by Moreno would appear to be her advantage.
"I don't know kung mahimo bang edge or advantage considering nga daghan siya (Moreno) kaso but we will see and find out kung naa na gyud desisyon ang partido kay dili pa gyud ta kaingon kung dili gyud modagan si Gov. Bambi or si Daddy," she said.
Emano-Elipe said they would also look into whether the supporters and loyalists remain intact.
But, she assured that the party still has the backing of village officials in the city.
"Tan-awon pud nato kung ang mga tawo nga nagsuporta kang mayor Dongkoy mosuporta ba pud kanamo karon. Pasalamat mi sa mga kapitan nga padayong niuban sa among krusada ug wala mibiya," she said.
For his part, the capitol's top official said the party has more than a hundred thousand members in the province and in the city.
The governor said the party's force in the city along with the supporters is enough to achieve victory in the next elections.
