These could be the biggest electoral fights in the history of politics in Tarlac province.
Much is anticipated on the upcoming Tarlac City mayoral race between incumbent Governor Susan A. Yap and Victor M. Angeles, owner of Northern Builders Construction Corporation.
Angeles is the husband of incumbent Tarlac City Mayor Ma. Cristina “Cristy” C. Angeles.
Meanwhile, Mayor Cristy will face Yap’s brother in the province’s second congressional district fight – the former governor and congressman Victor “Vic” A. Yap during the May 2025 polls.
During a recent press conference held at Best Western Hotel in Angeles City, Governor Yap said that her son Christian Tell Yap is running for governor in the May 5 elections as she is about to complete her nine-year stint at the Capitol.
When asked about her plans for Tarlac City, Gov. Yap announced that she will focus on jobs, livelihood, and food security.
The governor pointed out that the city government must focus on improving the economy rather than the “ayuda system”.
‘’Ako po ay matibay na naniniwala na ang tunay na solusyon sa pag-ahon ng buhay ay hindi ayuda, kundi trabaho. Trabahong nagbibigay ng dignidad, nagbubukas ng mas maraming pagkakataon, at nagtutulak ng pangmatagalang pagbabago para sa bawat Pilipino,’’ Governor Yap said.
“The culture in the city is purely dole-out. Get them back to a dignified life. Teach a man to fish,” she added.
The city government is spending about P7000 per head right now as compared to the provincial per capita budget of only P1700, according to the governor.
Under her three consecutive terms as governor of Tarlac, Gov. Yap said she carried the slogan “Serbisyong maYap” – a political concept that covers food security, employment, health security, education, and environmental protection.
“Sa ilalim ng Serbisyong maYap, tinuturuan natin ang mga kawani ng gobyerno na pagbutihin ang serbisyo. Being in the government does not mean you are privileged. It means that you have more responsibility to make sure that every plan, program, project ay ikabubuti ng bawat Tarlaqueno. Dapat ramdam ng bawat Tarlaqueno ang serbisyo,” Gov. Yap said in a YouTube video uploaded in 2023.
The Yaps' strong political influence started with the governor’s father, Jose ‘’Aping” Yap.
The late Aping served as mayor of Victoria town for six years from 1952 to 1959.
He then became a congressman of the 2nd district for 20 years in 1965-1969, 1969-1972, 1988-1992, 1992-1995, 1995-1998, and 2007-2010.
Aping Yap also served as governor for nine years in 1998-2001, 2001-2004, and 2004-2007.
Aping's son, Vic, followed his legacy. Vic served as congressman in the same district in 2016 to 2022 after serving as Tarlac governor from 2007 to 2016.
Christian Tell is the incumbent congressman of the second district and prior to this, he was the mayor of Victoria from 2019 until 2022.
Governor Yap also served as congresswoman before she took the reign at the Capitol.
She served in the House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016.
During her stint as a legislator, she authored and co-authored a total of 63 laws, and passed nine national laws. Among these are the Mandatory Immunization for Children Act, Foster Care Act, Cybercrime Prevention Act, and Universal Healthcare Coverage Act.
The Angeles Clan
Mayor Cristy started her political career in 2013 when she was asked by the late business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco to run for board member of the province.
She was the personal secretary of the late President Corazon Aquino.
In an exclusive interview with SunStar Pampanga, Mayor Cristy said she became mayor of Tarlac City in 2016.
It was also Cojuangco who encouraged her to run for mayor then, she said.
SSP asked her to reply to Gov. Yap’s statements.
Mayor Cristy said the governor’s comments were allegedly misleading.
She defended her Angel Care Program, a 22-point basic services program that was launched during her first term as mayor in 2016.
At present, Mayor Cristy is serving her third and final term.
“Di sya band-aid. Ang Angel Care ay delivery ng basic services pertaining to health, education, and other basic services. Dami rin nating infrastructure. Sa job generation, the mere fact na pumasok ang Aboitiz at Cresendo dito, ibig sabihin tinututukan natin ang economy. Add mo pa dyan yung balak nating city colleges. Ung peso natin dami natin napa employ,” Mayor Cristy said.
“Dami pumapasok na investors dito dahil sa trust and confidence sa administration natin. Good, clean, honest, na governance,” she added.
Mayor Cristy is referring to Cresendo, an P18-billion project of the Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) that will soon house the Cresendo Industrial Park (CIP), Avida Residences, Don Bosco Technical Institute, and commercial and retail spaces inside the former hacienda.
The mayor said the Ayala project is just one of the 6,000 plus businesses and investments now sprawled all-over Tarlac City.
She added that it is not only the Ayala group who set their eyes in the city.
Mayor Cristy said the Aboitiz Infra Capital Inc. (AIC) Economic Estates is also developing a 200-hectare land at Hacienda Luisita.
The group is set to build an economic estate at par with the largest economic zones in Luzon.
AIC Economic Estates is the country’s leading developer and operator of sustainable industrial estates at present.
Raking an outstanding income of P2.7 billion in 2022, the city mayor said this is a giant leap from the measly P1.06 billion in 2015, the year before she assumed office at the city hall.
As to the P7000 per capita budget, Mayor Cristy said it actually shows that the city government has been spending the money for the people.
“Maganda nga mas mataas per capita ang spending natin. Ibig sabiin ginagasta natin ang budget para sa mga tao. Di namin binubulsa. Di katulad nila kapag eleksiyon lang lumalabas ang pera,” she claimed.
When she won the mayoralty race in 2016, Mayor Cristy said the city was in poor condition, overwhelmed with a loan of P550.7 million from Land Bank of the Philippines and down with a cash deficit of about P103 million.
“And after six months in office, we were able to capsize the deficit and even collected P106 million in savings by the end of 2016. As my administration continued the good fiscal practice, the city accumulated a stable savings each year,” according to the mayor.
“In 2017, the city saved P236.4 million, followed by P207.5 million in 2018, and P204.9 million in 2019. The city continued to post surplus in the following years. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the city saved P267.1 million in 2020 and P332.16 million in 2021. From 2016 until 2023, an average of 1,100 new businesses are registered in the city while more than 5,000 businesses file for renewal,” Mayor Cristy said.