Former public works secretary Hermogenes Ebdane was proclaimed winner by the Commission on Election (COMELEC) as the new governor of Zambales Thursday afternoon.
Ebdane who is a neophyte candidate in the province garnered a total of 125,202 votes from 13 towns of Zambales. His closest rival, re-electionist Amor Deloso, received a total of 96,112 votes.
Ebdane was proclaimed at the provincial capitol in Iba at around 12:30 PM.
In his message after the proclamation, Ebdane thanked the people of Zambales and attributed his victory to the people’s clamor for change. “That is the reason for our overwhelming victory in the May 10 elections,” he said.
“By voting for change, (you have) breathed new life to or common dream of realizing the true development of Zambales and its people,” he added.
“We have just proven that, together, we can effect change and bring about a new order in our community. But in the next days and months and years, we shall again be challenged to prove that, together, we can also bring about the successful transformation, genuine development and true empowerment of Zambales and its people,” Ebdane also said.
At the same time, Ebdane called on the newly-elected Zambales officials to “form a new team who will provide direction for the faster development of the province.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Antonio Diaz, who was re-elected as representative of the Zambales second district, hailed Ebdane’s victory as “a fresh wind of change after 42 years.”
“Something unusual has happened, and we have to take advantage of that for the good of our people,” Diaz added.
Aside from Ebdane, those who were proclaimed by the Comelec are: Antonio Diaz, Zambales second district representative; Ramon Lacbain, vice governor; and board members Jon Khonghun, Jose Felarca, and Jose Gutierrez for the second district; and Wilfredo Pangan, Sancho Abasta Jr., Reynaldo Tarongoy, Conrado Fallorin, Porfirio Elamparo, Milagros Guatlo, and Eric Ebarle.
Re-electionist congresswoman Mitos Magsaysay was also proclaimed winner as representative for the 1st district of Zambales.
