Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija

Lapiang Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija
ChairmanTomas N. Joson
HeadquartersCabanatuan, Nueva Ecija
IdeologyConservatism
Social Conservatism
Populism
Political positionCentre-right
National affiliationPDP–Laban
ColorsGreen

The Lapiang Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (BALANE; New People Power Party of Nueva Ecija)[1][2] is a provincial political party based in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, which was formerly affiliated with the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), then the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) and finally back to NPC when KAMPI merged with Lakas–CMD to become Lakas Kampi CMD and the rival party Unang Sigaw became its local affiliate.

There are no results available of the last elections for the House of Representatives, but according to the website of the House, the party holds 1 out of 235 seats (state of the parties, June 2005).

History

In 1987, Lapiang Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (formally Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija or Balane)[1] was established by Eduardo Joson and later registered with the Commission on Elections, as the newly-ratified Constitution allowed the multi-party system. The suggested acronym is sounded like balani, a Filipino term for "magnet". Joson, who would serve as provincial governor for at least three decades,[3][4] was replaced earlier in 1986 by Emmanuel Santos as OIC appointed by the Aquino administration.[5][6]

Among the four candidates fielded by the party for the House of Representatives in the 1987 elections,[5] only Eduardo Nonato Joson, ran for the province's first district, became the first to be elected.[7] In the 1988 local elections, Eduardo Joson defeated Santos and regained the seat.[5]

Other elected candidates were the following:[3][5][8][6]

Balane was affiliated with the Nationalist People's Coalition and Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino in the 1995 elections. Prior to this, candidates under Balane–LDP–NPC coalition were substituted following the death of Cabanatuan mayor Honorato Perez, then gubernatorial candidate under Lakas–Laban Coalition, days prior. Provincial governor Tomas III and Quezon mayor Mariano Cristino, both re-electionists implicated in the incident, withdrew their candidacies and were replaced by their brothers, Eduardo Nonato (Edno), then seeking for return as district representative, and Eduardo IV, respectively. Josie Manuel–Joson, wife of Mariano Cristino, then substituted for Edno.[9][16]

It was allied with Lapian ng Masang Pilipino during the Estrada presidency[17] and the Arroyo administration's Lakas–CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats) in the 2004 elections.[18] It was affiliated with KAMPI in 2007; nine of ten elected provincial board members, as well as half of provincial district representatives, were from the said party.[10] In 2010, later-merged Lakas-Kampi affiliated with another yet rival local party Unang Sigaw Partido ng Pagbabago, both later defeated Balane's standard bearers and claimed almost all the seats in the provincial board, leaving Balane having only two.[14][19] In 2013, Balane, allied with NPC once again,[3] won a seat in the House of Representatives with the latter's joint endorsement.[2]

Mayors from twenty municipalities and two cities belonging to the party were elected in 2001.[6] Same number of town mayors and three city mayors were elected in 2007.[11]

Josons' half-century governorship ended in 2007[14] when provincial vice governor Mariano Cristino Joson, then chairperson of the party who ran for the said position,[20] lost to third district representative Aurelio Umali.[4][10] Umali later defeated the party's standard bearers, another vice governor Edward Thomas Joson (in 2010)[14][21] and first district representative Josefina Manuel–Joson (in 2013, chairperson by that time[3]).[22][4] The victory of the Umalis in the provincial level in 2013 effectively ended the Josons' 56-year political rule in the province.[23]

Tomas III was the chairperson of Balane when the clan decided to support the candidacy of former fourth district representative Rodolfo Antonino, ran under the party's ally United Nationalist Alliance, instead of joining the gubernatorial elections in 2016.[23][4][24] Antonino lost to third district representative Czarina Umali, wife of Aurelio.[25][23]

Prior to 2019 elections, former governor Eduardo Nonato Joson resigned from the party. He ran for governor as independent in defiance of his siblings' support for his two other opponents.[25]

In 2022, only five candidates in the province ran under the party, all failed to secure membership in the municipal council of Carranglan.[26][27]

Notable party members

References

  1. ^ a b Joson, Edno (2008). "The BALANE Party". Official website of Edno Joson. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Lansford, Tom (2015). Political Handbook of the World 2015. United States: CQ Press. ISBN 978-1-4833-7157-3. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Roque, Anselmo (April 8, 2013). "Josons aim for political resurrection". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e Roque, Anselmo (April 8, 2016). "For first time in 56 years, no Joson running for Ecija gov". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Roque, Anselmo (May 9, 2000). "Homegrown political parties test their mettle on May 14". Philippine Daily Inquirer. p. A18. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Poll winners: Same name, same families". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 23, 2001. p. A17. Retrieved June 9, 2023 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ a b Tan, Ruben (1988). The Philippine Congress, 1987–1992. Metro Manila, Philippines: STO. NIÑO Catholic House Inc. p. 113. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Roque, Anselmo (September 27, 2000). "Josons continue to tighten grip on N. Ecija politics". Philippine Daily Inquirer. p. A17. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b c d e Celso Giray; Philippine News Agency (May 8, 1995). "Campaign almost ends with bang for this bet". Manila Standard. p. 28. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Galang, Armand (May 22, 2007). "Midterm polls bring change, new governor of Nueva Ecija". The Manila Times. p. A6. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ a b c d "Old fiefdoms going as Valeras, Josons tumble". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 20, 2007. pp. A1, A20. Retrieved June 9, 2023 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Giray, Celso (June 15, 1997). "Joson, Tinio told: Restore peace and order, focus efforts on Nueva Ecija development". Manila Standard. p. 7. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ a b c d "After a century, political clan still rules". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 12, 2007. pp. A1, A22. Retrieved June 9, 2023 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Galvez, Manny (May 20, 2010). "Umali, Padiernos top Nueva Ecija polls". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  15. ^ Cupin, Bea (October 5, 2021). "Longtime Duterte defender Robin Padilla joins PDP-Laban". Rappler. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  16. ^ Villanueva, Marichu; Evangelista, Romie; Rosales, Angie (May 6, 1995). "Ecija situation probe sought". Manila Standard. p. 2. Retrieved June 10, 2023 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ Esguerra, Christian; Roque, Anselmo (November 4, 2000). "'Bad weather' friends back Erap". Philippine Daily Inquirer. p. 2. Retrieved June 10, 2023 – via Google Books.
  18. ^ Galvez, Manny (April 18, 2004). "Erap holds no grudge vs Joson for backing GMA". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  19. ^ Galvez, Manny (November 4, 2010). "Ecija mayor scores Sangguniang Panlalawigan for 'sleeping on the job'". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  20. ^ Galvez, Manny (December 28, 2006). "Lakas-CMD headed for split in Ecija's 3rd district". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  21. ^ Galvez, Manny (March 24, 2010). "Ecija provincial executives charged with graft". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  22. ^ "2013 elections: Same faces but new foes". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 1, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  23. ^ a b c "Josons skip Nueva Ecija guv race, will field ally instead". Politiko (South Luzon). October 20, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  24. ^ Galvez, Manny (October 19, 2015). "Josons not fielding kin for Nueva Ecija top post". The Philippine Star. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Galang, Marilyn (October 11, 2018). "Ex-Nueva Ecija guv Joson among first to file COC". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  26. ^ "LIST: Who is running in Nueva Ecija in the 2022 Philippine elections?". Rappler. September 16, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  27. ^ "Eleksyon 2022: Local results from Carranglan, Nueva Ecija". GMA News Online. 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2023.