“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” –Havelock Ellis
Senator Franklin Drilon considers former Iloilo City Councilor, Dr. Nielex ‘Lex’ Tupas, an asset to the Liberal Party (LP), Ugyon Party’s umbrella political party.
Tupas is the youngest son of former Iloilo Governor Neil D. Tupas, Sr., an Ugyon Party bigwig, and Drilon was enamored once he heard the governor’s son speak at a private gathering in Iloilo City over 10 years ago.
In 2005, the senator predicted the younger Tupas would become “the next congressman in Iloilo,” although he did not specify if he was referring to the fifth congressional district or the lone district of Iloilo City. Nonetheless, with “Tito Frank” a close (personal and political) ally to his late father, the feeling became mutual for Tupas.
He would often consult “Tito Frank,” among other political big guns, with some of his most important political decisions.
It was the LP, the part of former President Benigno S. Aquino III, where Tupas political stock skyrocketed.
After being elected as Iloilo City councilor in 2007, where he garnered 73,000 votes in his first attempt, he grabbed headlines from his equally-talented siblings, who were also making waves in the province. Many Ilonggos were saying Tupas, who was appointed National Youth Commission (NYC) executive director by Aquino on November 11, 2015, was “more popular and well-loved” than his older brother, former Iloilo fifth district Rep. Neil ‘Junjun’ Tupas, Jr. At the time, both Lex and Junjun were lording over the political landscape in the city and fifth district of Iloilo, respectively.
Tupas gave up the NYC post on May 5, 2017 to “be with my family.” However, some suspected he did not want to “displease” some “worried” LP stalwarts by retaining the position during President Rodrigo Duterte administration.
After Tupas’ three-year hiatus from local politics, his wife, Dr. Candice Alumisin-Tupas, replaced him on the city council, he sent shock waves through the hearts of congressional aspirants when he appeared on Manuel ‘Boy’ Mejorada’s program on 89.5 Homeradio Aliw Broadcasting on May 30. During the guesting, confirmed stories circulating since March 2018 suggesting he and Iloilo City lone district Rep. Jerry P. Treñas have “had talks” since last year about the possibility he would run for congress in the upcoming midterm elections.
Treñas, who is reported at odds with his brother-in-law, Iloilo City Mayor Jose ‘Joe III’ Espinosa III, already announced he would run for Iloilo City mayor, which Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon as his running mate.
Treñas and Ganzon, as well as Espinosa, are currently with Duterte’s PDP-Laban.
Some independent-minded Ilonggos believe, once the smoke clears, PDP-Laban will field Espinosa for congressman, Treñas for mayor, and Ganzon for vice mayor in its official city line-up. If Tupas were to formally announce his candidacy, expected on his 40th birthday, August 11, will he also announce a swich from the LP to the PDP-Laban and, as a result, “bump off” Joe III? Or will Tupas be the LP’s official candidate for congressman to challenge Joe III?
“My decision to run is not based on political personalities,” Tupas said on Mejorada’s program. “There is a clamor; there is a calling from the people.”
“I was raised by my father to excel, not as a mediocre,” he added. “This is not about Lex Tupas, but the future and vision of Iloilo City.”
If Tupas decides to team-up with Treñas and takes an oath with the PDP-Laban, will “Tito Frank” let him go just like that?/WDJ