Councilor withdraws from vice mayoralty race

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Councilor Alex Patio said on Thursday he has withdrawn from the vice mayoralty race here in order to concentrate on his congressional bid in May under a party-list group.

Patio, majority floor leader of the Fourth City Council and author of breakthrough legislation and ordinances earlier filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for the vice mayoralty race in this city.

However, Patio said he has withdrawn his candidacy in order to concentrate time and effort for their group, Append Inc. (Append) which was approved by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to run for the May polls, joining other 83 party-lists also approved by the Commission.

Append is one of the first and the largest groups of Christian Microfinance NGOs in the Philippines that provides microenterprise development and growth support and education services to all without regard to religious and political affiliations, ethnicity and color.

Patio said he is third nominee for the party, adding that Append is national in scope and is ready to embark on the campaign trail come February. Patio added he will be representing Central Luzon within the party leadership.

With the withdrawal of Patio from the vice mayoralty race of this city, the race will be left to incumbent councilors Jimmy Lazatin and Renato Agustin along with Board Member Rolly Macalino who are gunning for the elective post in May 2013.