A 62-year-old market vendor who sells vegetables in the town of Dolores in Eastern Samar was elected the municipality’s mayor in the recently-concluded election.
Beat his opponent, a doctor and said to be a brother of the incumbent mayor, to become the new mayor of Dolores, Eastern Samar. Rivera, who is said to have finished second year in high school owing to lack of money to fund his studies, reportedly received 11,508 votes while his rival, Dr. Zaldy Carpeso, got 10,946.
He reportedly ran on the platform of helping his poor townmates and ending the political dynasty in his town.
It was learned that the incumbent town mayor, Shonny Niño Carpeso, ran unopposed as vice mayor and that if Dr. Zaldy made it, the two brothers would have held the top two local positions in Dolores.
Rivera served as barangay (village) chairman in Gap-ang and when his term ended, he went back to selling vegetables in the town market.
Shonny was said to have ran for vice mayor as his term as mayor ends in June.
