South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO [From the South Cotabato provincial government’s official FB page]
KORONADAL CITY, Philippines — With a small crowd of supporters holding red and blue balloons, South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. on Saturday morning launched his re-election bid by filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office here.
Tamayo, who is seeking a second term, will run under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, of which he is the national president.
Tamayo, a former three-term mayor of Tupi town, defeated then-Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes in the 2019 gubernatorial race.
Tamayo’s running mate is former South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy, Jr., a physician who completed three terms as representative of the province’s second district (2001 to 2010). Pingoy lost in the 2019 mayoral race in this city.
Tamayo is expected to slug it out with Deputy Speaker and 2nd District Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez, who is ending his third term in the House of Representatives.
Avance-Fuentes is reportedly running as second district representative vice Hernandez. Their camp is reportedly filing their COCs on October 5.
Tamayo’s candidate for the province’s second district is Koronadal City Vice Mayor Peter Miguel, who previously completed three terms as mayor.
For the first congressional district, Tamayo’s party is fielding former Polomolok Mayor Isidro Lumayag.
The party’s aspirants for provincial board members also filed their respective COCs.
The Comelec has barred the gathering of supporters of candidates who are filing their COCs because of the COVID-19 pandemic.