The Power of Prayer in Labella’s Victory

Labella was staying inside the prayer room of Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral when Rama called him and broke the news. Before he proceeds to the City hall, he knocks the office door of Msgr. Roberto Alesna and asked for a blessing.

Labella, a former Councilor of Cebu and former director of the office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, is a survivor of the 1998 sea tragedy when M/V Princess of the Orient sank somewhere off the coast of Mindoro while taking route from Manila to Cebu.

“My second life is a grace from above, and this victory is another gift from the Lord” Labella said.

When asked if he will sponsor mass (magpa misa), Labella quipped “naa gyud na permi gyud ang pa-misa”( I ‘m consistent in sponsoring mass).

Labella arrived at the canvassing hall together with his family at around 9:00pm as cheers of victory of Team Rama supporters filled in the entire chamber.

“I feel very relieved, it was really breathtaking. I am very thankful to God and to the people. I am very happy that after 3 days of waiting, the results are finally out” Labella said.

Winning the vice mayorality seat, Labella sees a big responsibility ahead. “A position such as this, there is always a big responsibility that you have to face” Labella added.

Also walking in the City hall’s social chamber was former City vice mayor, Mike Rama. Rama was around to monitor the canvassing. “We’re happy Team Rama won and we have a goal
to serve the people” Rama said. Labella and his running mate, re-elected Mayor Mike Rama, shares one common trait as Rama is also a religious man and a man of faith. He is a devotee of Sr. Sto. Nino, Birhen of Guadalupe and San Pedro Calungsod.

“Prayer can move mountains” quoted Mike Rama.

Noting the presence of vice mayor-elect, Mike Rama welcomed his running mate with a warm hug and as Rama later raised Labella’s hand for a victory pose, the crowd boosts its cheers.

Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella pulled off a victory last night when he was officially proclaimed Vice Mayor of Cebu after a close fight against incumbent Vice Mayor Joy Augustos Young.

Labella, ranking from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), was proclaimed by Election officer, Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde at exactly 10:10 pm Thursday in the Cebu City social hall.

Official results showed that Labella garnered 203, 267 votes over his rival Young who had 203, 083 votes. Labella defeats Young with only 184 vote lead.

Labella actually lost to Young in the last three precincts from Barangays Mambaling, Luz, and Cambinocot but it did not affect Labella’s comfortable standing.

Labella hopes that his friendship with Young will remain despite the things that happened during elections.

According to Labella, he did not throw personal attacks against the other team, instead what matters to him most is the friendship.

Labella said he is willing to accept any help given by Joy Young for the sake of the people in Cebu City.

Labella’s proclamation took awhile because the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine from Barangay Cambinocot failed to transmit the election result which prompt authorities to manually feed the ballots to the Canvassing Consolidated System (CCS).

In an interview, Labella said he would try to propose Cebuano (”Bisaya”) as among the official languages to be used in the deliberation of the City council.

With the City having two leaders (Rama and Labella) who are God-fearing and religious, answers to prayers are not impossible. God definitely gave them the blessing to serve the people of Cebu city.