THE race for seats in the House of Representatives in three Pampanga legislative districts will be uncontested, data from the Commission on Elections (Comeled) Provincial Office showed.
On Monday, November 1, Comelec offices across the province released a tentative list of candidates for the May 2022 polls based on the initial evaluation of certificates of nomination, candidacy, and nomination and acceptance.
Based on the data, re-electionist first district Representative Jon-jon Lazatin, third district Representative Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. and returning second district Representative former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be running unopposed in the upcoming election.
Meanwhile, independent candidate Regino Mallari will be challenging the comeback of Anna York Bondoc as representative of the province's fourth legislative district.
Also, aside from Governor Dennis Pineda, whose re-election is contested by former Candaba mayor Danilo Baylon, Vice Governor Lilia Pineda will face a challenger in the name of Ricardo Guevarra of the Liberal Party.
Down in the local government, three re-electionist mayors, namely, Oscar Tetangco Jr. of Apalit, Esmie Pineda of Lubao and Jay Sagum of San Luis, will be running unopposed.
Tussle for mayorship
While there are unopposed, most cities and municipalities in Pampanga will see an exciting match for their next leaders.
In the Pampanga cities, both incumbent mayors of Angeles and Mabalacat will be opposed with Carmelo Lazatin Jr. facing Amos Rivera, and Cris Garbo facing Boking Morales and Deng Pangilinan.
Three candidates, namely, Vilma Caluag, Rosve Henson and Jimmy Lazatin are also eyeing the local chief executive post of the capital city, which will be vacated by term-ending Mayor Edwin Santiago.
Both Arayat and San Simon towns, meanwhile, have the highest number of contenders for mayor with Madeth Alejandrino, Marlon Balagtas, Chito Espino, Gerry Lugtu and Sixto "Pogi" Mallari in Arayat; and Keko Almario, Bong Garcia, Jojo Gutierrez, JP Punsalan, and Leonora Wong in San Simon.
It will be a three-cornered match in some municipalities, including in Floridablanca with Eduardo Guerrero, Darwin Manalansan, and Allan Policarpio; Mexico with Jonathan Pangan, Ernesto Punzalan, and Teddy Tumang; and Sasmuan with Anney May Angeles, Catalina Cabrera, and Victor Velasco.
Also, several towns will see a head-to-head brawl in the mayoralty race including in Bacolor with Diman Datu and Willy Balingit; Candaba with Rene Maglanque and Aniway Baylon; Guagua with Tonton Torres and Boss Joe Mendoza; Macabebe with Leonardo Flores and Annette Flores-Balgan; Magalang with Romy Pecson and Malu Paras Lacson; Masantol with Aguinaldo "Homer" Guintu and TonTon Bustos; Minalin with Rolando Flores and Philip Naguit; Porac with Jing Capil and Carling dela Cruz; Sta. Rita with Art Salalila and Dagi Salalila; ans Sto. Tomas Gloria "Ninang" Ronquillo and John Sambo.