PLEDGE Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signs the “Integrity Pledge” of candidates in the 2022 elections after filing his certificate of candidacy for president on Monday as his running mate, Dr. Willie Ong, looks on. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Of the 12 presidential hopefuls who filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday, only one name was familiar: Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, who came with his running mate, Dr. Willie Ong.
“Believe it or not, of all the (COCs) I have filed and the elections I joined, it’s only now that I am very nervous,” Domagoso told the media before he read his speech.
“I can’t express how I’m feeling. It’s like there’s something in my intestines like a snake going around, or is that what you call a butterfly?” he asked.
Domagoso said he would dedicate his campaign to fostering national unity to beat COVID-19, saying abuses and divisions had plagued the country’s pandemic response.
“We are too divisive and indecisive. That cost us our economy on top of the pandemic,” said the former actor who started his political career as a city councilor in 1998 and is on his first term as Manila mayor.
He and Ong will run under the Aksyon Demokratiko party that served as the late senator Raul Roco’s platform for his presidential campaigns in 1998 and 2004.
Domagoso named two candidates for the Senate: Samira Gutoc who also ran in 2019, and entrepreneur Carl Balita. He said other bets from other political camps were welcome as long as they shared his platform of government.
Domagoso, meanwhile, said he would not drop Ong as his running mate, saying he would benefit from his inputs as a doctor.
“[The] COVID-19 pandemic will be here until 2022. We never know what will happen in 2023. We have to act fast and involve everyone,” he said.
The other presidential aspirants who filed their COCs at the Sofitel Garden Hotel in Pasay City were Sonny Boy Andrade, Alfredo Respuesto, Juanita Trocenio, Gabriela Larot, Faisal Mangondato, Maria Mercedes Pesigan, Delia Aniñon, Leo Cadion, Renato Valera, Melchor Duno and Winston Kayanan.
For the vice presidency, there were two: Carlos Serapio and Princess Sunshine Amirah while there were 16 who filed their COCs for senator. They were Narciso Solis, Marieta Mandalano-Adam, Guzman Claro, Mario Mangco, Anthony Castro, Florencio Carlos, Eleazar Calampiano, Rosita delos Angeles, Jigger ND Pitos, Roberto Aniceto Jr., Edgar Miranda, Maria Lourdes Santiago, Claro Guzman, Boboy Francisco, Junbert Guigayuma and Jennet Tam.
Arroyo eyes House return
Another familiar name, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, seeks to return to the House of Representatives by running for a seat in the second district of Pampanga, a post currently held by her son, Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo.
The younger Arroyo said in a text message that his mother filed her COC on Oct. 1 through a proxy. She served as Pampanga representative from 2010 to 2019. If elected, this will be her fourth term in the lower house where she served as speaker from 2018 to 2019, after booting out Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez in a coup, just hours before President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address in 2018.
On Monday, Alvarez also filed his COC for a possible third term as Davao del Norte’s first district representative, saying in a tweet he would “continue landmark reforms with the goal of reducing corruption, addressing inequality, expanding opportunities and lifting people out of poverty.”
A party-list House member, Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor, confirmed he was running for Quezon City mayor with Rep. Winston Castelo as his running mate.
Defensor will face incumbent Mayor Joy Belmonte who earlier said she would seek reelection.
At the same time, the Gabriela Women’s Party filed its certificate of nomination and the certificate of acceptance of nomination of its nominees. Its nominees are Rep. Arlene Brosas, who is on her second term, along with Davao-based doctor Jean Lindo and Lucy Francisco, a consumer rights advocate.
Other party list groups eyeing House seats are the Ang Koalisyon ng Indigenous People, Noble Advancement of Marvelous People of the Philippines Inc., Alagaan ang Sambayanang Pilipino, Aasenso, Alalayang Kuya Ate sa Pilipinas, Truck Drivers Philippines, Aangat Kusinerong Pinoy, Ipatupad for Workers and Ako’y Tech Voc.
Aside from Domagoso, the other prominent presidential aspirant so far is Sen. Manny Pacquiao who filed his COC on Oct. 1 with running mate, House Deputy Speaker, and Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza. Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go filed his COC for vice president the next day.
The filing period for COCs will be until Oct. 8 with substitutions allowed until Nov. 15.
The Comelec will resume voter registration from Oct. 11 to 30, after being pressured by Congress to extend the Sept. 30 deadline.