The root word of “election” is “elect” which means “to choose”. But if there is only one candidate for single-seat posts, or nine candidates for eight-seat council, then election becomes a mere formality to put in power those who filed their certificates of candidacies (COCs). This may or may not be bad at all depending on the circumstance prior to the filing of the  COCs. If the people are satisfied with those who filed and dared not to give them competitors, that is good for governance. But if pressures were done so that possible challengers were prohibited from filing their COCs, that is another story.

In Libon, Albay, both the mayor and the vice mayor are facing no opponents. In the councilorial race, nine filed to compete for eight seats. Seven of the contenders are incumbent councilors seeking reelection. Except for one candidate for councilor, the candidates in Libon are all running under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) ticket. The sole non-conformist, Jom Nacario, is running under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

The complete list of candidates is as follows:

For Mayor

1. MARONILLA, WILFREDO VILLANUEVA (PDP-Laban)

For Vice Mayor

1. SAYSON, MARKGREGOR EDWARD CATALBAS (PDP-Laban)

For Councilor

1. BRIONES, FLORIAN FERNANDEZ (PDP-Laban)
2. DYCOCO, DANIEL SERRANO (PDP-Laban)
3. NACARIO, JOM GRIEG ELLI MADRID (UNA)
4. RANERA, JOHN ANDREW SIANOYA (PDP-Laban)
5. SAMSON, DOMINGO BRIONES (PDP-Laban)
6. SAZON, EDNA SERGIO (PDP-Laban)
7. SE, APOLONIO SASIS (PDP-Laban)
8. VELASCO, RAMON FERDINAND ESCOBER (PDP-Laban)
9. VELASCO, RAMON MARTIN LLONA (PDP-Laban)

• Politics