Son-father tandem vies for mayor, vice mayor posts in Lucena City

LUCENA CITY – A son-and-father team from the Alcala political family has filed their respective certificates of candidacy (COC) for the positions of mayor and vice mayor of this city on Friday.

Mark Alcala and incumbent local chief executive Roderick Alcala filed their COCs to formalize their bid for the two highest local positions here in the 2022 elections at the Commission on Elections office at the old City Hall around 9:30 a.m. accompanied by their family and supporters.

They will run under the PDP-Laban, Roderick’s political party in 2019 election. Roderick is now on his last term as local chief executive.

Mark refuted the criticism by his political detractors that as a newcomer, he lacks the political experience of running the affairs of city government.

“From all contenders (for city mayor), I think have the longest preparation. I’ve gained the knowledge from the long years of my father as a public servant since I was small,” Mark, who served as executive assistant to his father, told journalists after the filing.

For his part, Roderick said: “I’m happy for Mark.”

In a previous interview, the father said his son has his own “dynamic vision” for the progress and development of the city.

During the press conference, Roderick said: “Ang pakiusap ko lang, kahit anong mangyari sa laban ng mga higante, kami ay mananatiling inyong kaibigan. Wag nyo lang sasaktan si Mark at Vice Mayor Dondon (Roderick’s nickname) Alcala.”

(My only wish is that whatever happens in this fight, we shall remain friends. Please don’t hurt Mark and Vice Mayor Dondon Alcala.)

He was apparently referring to the battle for governorship between incumbent Governor Danilo Suarez (Lakas-CMD) and Representative Angelina Tan (NPC, 4th District).

The candidacy of Mark and Roderick as father and son tandem, is the first in the election history of the city, the provincial capital of Quezon province. Their team also has the support of two slates of eight councilors, also the first in the city’s election history.

The Mark-Roderick ticket has a complete ticket for councilors composed of six reelectionists and two political newcomers.

A group of Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) candidates composed of five come-backing former city councilors and three rookie candidates has also declared their support to the son and father tandem.

Mark will face in the mayoralty race incumbent city councilor Sunshine Abcede-Llaga, former city councilor Romano Talaga, and incumbent Vice Mayor Philip Castillo.

Roderick is facing a token challenge from incumbent city Councilor Nilo Villapando and two others.

Roderick’s sudden inclusion in the city political race was prompted by the vice gubernatorial candidacy of his cousin Anacleto Alcala III.

Anacleto’s filing of his COC as the vice governor candidate of Representative Tan, took the residents in this city by surprise.

Roderick said prior to Anacleto’s change of political plan, “he informed us.”

JPV