Party-list lawmaker to run as Tacloban City mayor

AN WARAY party-list Representative Florencio Noel formally announced Sunday his intention to run for the mayoralty race in 2013.

Noel made the announcement in front of thousands of guests who attended his birthday party Sunday at the Leyte National High School Gymnasium.

Most of the guests were officials from different barangays of the city, more than 80 municipal mayors from different local government units in Eastern Visayas, his fellow legislators in Congress, Tacloban City and Leyte Provincial Government officials, his An Waray family and his wife Navotas Representative Jane Lacson-Noel.

“It is a great privilege to be challenged by someone who used to govern the city to run for the mayoral seat,” said Noel in his speech, referring to former Tacloban City mayor Ulderico Mate’s challenge to him to run in the 2013 election.

“They challenged me to do something for the city, to share my vision and my service to the people, and develop and improve the condition of Tacloban. This is a great honor given to me by those who had served the people of Tacloban before,” Noel added.

He said although it was publicly known to the people that he will run in the next election as city mayor, he never confirmed nor deny it as he was only waiting for the right time.

Noel’s pronouncement Sunday earned positive reactions and support from those who were present at the party.

Presidents of League of Municipalities of the Philippines in Eastern Visayas expressed their support for his bid, adding they believe the lawmaker can serve more the people of Tacloban just like what he did as the representative of An Waray.

According to Noel, the support shown by the municipal mayors is overwhelming as they had allowed him to serve the people of Tacloban after serving them for nine years.

His wife, Navotas Representative Jane Lacson-Noel, also expressed her support on her husband’s ambition to become mayor.

She said her husband can do more for the city being a true-blooded Taclobanon.

“I know I am biased because he is my husband, but what I can assure is that he can serve well if he becomes the mayor because he had already known and studied all the problems in this city and what are the right things to be done to solve them,” the congresswoman said.

Although he already announced his plan, Noel said his lineup is still to be finalized, but those in the minority block in the City Council will surely be part of his team.

He added that by October of this year, after he files his candidacy, he will tell the Taclobanons of the programs that he will implement once elected as city mayor.

Prior to this pronouncement by Noel, incumbent City Mayor Alfred Romualdez also announced his intention to seek for reelection. Romualdez is now on his second term as city mayor of Tacloban. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)