ANTONIA M. Tudela was re-elected while Carmen C. Pangelinan and former Mayor Marian DLG Tudela won seats on the three-member, non-partisan Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council.
Saipan’s first female mayor, Marian DLG Tudela received the most votes, 5,418, in the field of nine candidates. Pangelinan came in second with 4,870 votes while Antonia M. Tudela garnered 4,521 votes to finish third.
The former mayor said she was very happy with the result and was actually surprised that she was the top choice of the community.
“I have already retired, and it was not my intention to really run for a seat but my love for the people weighs more than my desire to just relax at home,” she said.
She is already looking forward to getting up in the morning to dress up and “go out there and do something that will help improve the lives of the people.”
Pangelinan, for her part, expressed her gratitude to the community for their vote of confidence. “Rest assured that I will do my best and make sure that all the plans I have mentioned in my platform will be executed,” she said.
She intends to visit the villages once she is officially sworn in to personally hear the people’s concerns.
Antonia M. Tudela, for her part, said:
“No words would ever capture and adequately express my eternal gratitude to each of you for your valuable vote of confidence and support since I began serving in the Saipan & Northern Islands Municipal Council two decades ago to date. I sincerely hope and pray that my long held desire and priority of restoring municipal ordinance governance powers as a chartered municipality like Luta & Tini’an, implementing responsive and relevant cultural, social, environmental, home gardening, neighborhood watch, and after school programs for children, youth, and families in our villages, and establishing closer and harmonious partnerships with both mayors of Saipan and the Northern Islands become a reality in this term. It is in your honor and faith you entrusted in me that I shall serve you with utmost resolve more than ever before. Si Yu’us ma’åsi’, Ghilisoow reemi, Maraming salamat, Domo arigato, Kam sa ham nida, Thank you very much from my family and myself.”
Tinian and Rota
On Tinian, Ana Marie San Nicolas, Joseph Evangelista Santos and Jim Michael Atalig were elected to the island’s municipal council.
There were four candidates. San Nicolas topped the race with 972 votes. Frederick Manglona received 930 votes while Estevan Cabrera garnered 808 votes. Incumbent member Juanita Mendiola finished fourth with 503 votes.
On Rota, the winners of the municipal council elected were Jonovan Lizama with 924 votes; Frederick Manglona with 855 votes; and Jim Michael Atalig with 658 votes. The two losing candidates were Lorita Manglona who received 630 votes, and Cecile Florence Blas who garnered 604 votes.
Marian DLG Tudela
