Borongan City, Eastern Samar — Despite the star power of showbiz personality Boy Abunda, his sister Maria Fe Abunda fell short in her bid for a third and final term as the lone congressional representative of Eastern Samar.

The province’s voters instead chose Christopher “Sheen” Gonzales, a former vice governor and mayor of Guiuan, who is also the son-in-law of House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan. Gonzales won by a wide margin, garnering 177,413 votes against Abunda’s 106,781 votes.

Gonzales was officially proclaimed the winner by the Eastern Samar Provincial Board of Canvassers on Tuesday, May 13.

Maria Fe Abunda, who was seeking re-election for her final term, was vigorously campaigned for by her celebrity brother, Boy Abunda, often seen joining her on the campaign trail throughout the province. However, local political dynamics proved more powerful than showbiz influence.

According to reports, 19 out of 22 municipal mayors in the province threw their support behind Gonzales, citing frustration over what they described as Maria Fe’s underwhelming performance during her first two terms in Congress.

Observers noted that Gonzales’ extensive local government experience, paired with his family’s political ties and broad grassroots support, gave him a significant advantage.

Gonzales is married to Eloisa Libanan, daughter of Rep. Libanan, further consolidating political alliances in the province.

The results of the race are seen as a major political shift in Eastern Samar, with Gonzales expected to bring new leadership and renewed focus on local development priorities.