Incumbent Gov. Roel Degamo and Rep. George Arnaiz (Neg. Or., 2 nd District) led their partymates in the filing of certificates of candidacy yesterday for their election bids in 2016.

Degamo, running under the Nationalist Unity Party/Partido NegOrense, and Arnaiz of the Nationalist People's Coalition but in an alliance with the Liberal Party, will be pitted against each other in the gubernatorial race next year. So far, they are the only ones who have filed their CoCs for governor.

Degamo is seeking re-election for a second term, while Arnaiz is making a comeback for the position he had held previously for three terms before serving in Congress.

Arnaiz and his team mates were the first to file at 8 a.m. yesterday, as soon as the provincial office of the Commission on Elections in Dumaguete City opened.

With the solon to file their CoCs were Vice Gov. Edward Mark Macias (LP), who is seeking re-election, and Dumaguete Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria (NPC), who will contest the second district congressional seat.

Those who filed the CoCs for Sangguniang Panlalawigan are Rommel Erames, Mariant Escaño-Villegas, Melliemoore Saycon and Nilo Sayson, all under NPC, for the second district, and Edmund Dy and Peve Ligan (NPC), and Nick Valde Lim (LP) for the third district.

They were accompanied by former first district Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong, incumbent Board Members Georgita Martinez and Jessica Jane Villanueva, and Guihulngan City Councilor Jaime Reyes, all LP members, who are also seeking election in 2016 and have filed their CoCs Tuesday.

Completing the political lineup of the NPC-LP coalition in Negros Oriental is incumbent BM Arnulfo Teves Jr., who filed his CoC for congressman of the third district Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Degamo and his team filed their CoCs at around 10 a.m., after a mass at the Capitol.

Degamo was accompanied by his wife, Janice, who is running for mayor of Pamplona, Negros Oriental. With them are BM Liland Estacion, who is gunning for vice governor; former first district Rep. Jacinto Paras, who is seeking a comeback in Congress; BM Erwin Macias, for the second congressional district seat; and Henry Sojor, for congressman of the third district.

For board members, Degamo's slate include Rizaldy Gumba (NUP), Reynaldo Tuanda Jr. (NUP) and Napoleon Villegas (UNA) for the first district; Nevino Cardente (NUP), Nichol Eman (NUP), Carmelo Remollo (NUP) and Arturo Umbac (UNA), second district; and Kit Marc Adanza, Telesforo Diao Jr., and Enrique Gonzalez, all NUP, for the third district.

Showing support to the Degamo camp was former Rep. Herminio Teves of the third district, the patriarch of the Teves clan and was, in his time, the oldest member of the House of Representatives until 2007.

An independent candidate, Virgilio Barba, also filed his CoC for BM of the second district while Ryan Bustos Ybañez, independent, is running for congressman of the second district.

In all, 37 political aspirants have, so far, filed their CoCs for governor, vice governor, congressional representatives and SP members.

Provincial Election Supervisor Eddie Aba said he expects a few more candidates to show up today, the last day of filing of CoCs.*JFP

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