The mayor of this fourth class municipality expressed confidence he could defeat the bid for another term as congressman of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's youngest son, Diosdado Ignacio “Dato” Arroyo. “Arroyo is not a Bicolano,” said Fermin Mabulo, this town's mayor. Fermin believes voters, this time, will vote for someone truly Bicolano. The support of the province's governor, Luis Raymund Villafuerte, has added push to Fermin's candidacy. Some officials, however, defended Dato's work in the province's newly created second district, which is made up of seven towns, including this one. “I am not a big fan of Dato, but in fairness to him, what he has accomplished in his two years in office... far surpassed his predecessors combined,” said Carlo Batalla, provincial board member.
