Female bets rule man’amko advisory council election

 Female senior citizens dominated the Saipan Senior Advisory Council election yesterday, occupying eight of the nine spots in the annual election by congregates at the Aging Center.

Aging Office director Rose Mondala named the winners of the election, which finished at past 10am.

Maria Salinas garnered the highest number of votes at 44. The other winners were Rita Reyes, Christiana Michael, Alejandra Blas, Meryalen Conrad, Teresita Sorroza, Elena Villanueva, Siyau Muna, and Manuel Mesa.

Being the only male winner, Mesa was appointed sergeant-at-arms.

“I expected that more women will be elected because 90 percent of the congregates are women,” Mondala said after announcing the results.

Aging Office program coordinator Walter Manglona urged the winners to work hard for the man’amko on Saipan, reminding them that their selection is a vote of confidence by their fellow congregates.

“They all voted for you with confidence so you have to work very hard for the man’amko to represent them,” Manglona told the winners.

In an interview after the announcement of winners, Salinas expressed surprise and happiness at the outcome of the election.

“I want to thank everybody for their vote of confidence. I will do my very best to make the congregates happy,” she told Saipan Tribune.

When asked about the qualities that made the other man’amko choose her, Salinas said she was “probably spotted as a unique person, they can talk to me, and I can give them sound advice.”

“I love everybody here. I want to present to the community our worth as man’amko,” Salinas added.

The counting of the ballots was held at the Aging Office conference room immediately after the election.

The election had a 75-percent turnout, with only 50 of the 67 voters casting their ballots. Mondala noted that two registered voters recently became homebound clients.

Of the 50 ballots, four were considered null and void since they had fewer or more than the required eight check marks. There were a total of 13 candidates who ran for election.

Mondala, Manglona, staffers Antonia Hossain and Alex Laniyo counted and listed the ballots. Congregates Solis Adriano Jr., Benita Cepeda, Teddy Guiao, and Roger Hernandez served as witnesses during the counting of ballots.