The stage is set for the battle royale between Gov. Danny Suarez and Congresswoman Helen Tan for the governorship of Quezon, clearly one of the most coveted positions in the country.
QUEZON Gov. Danilo Suarez and 4th District Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan are both vying for the province’ Kapitolyo (provincial government seat) in the May 9, 2022 elections.
Suarez who is running under Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) political party, filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) on Wednesday, Oct. 6, with Betty Nantes as his running mate.
Meanwhile, Doktora Tan filed earlier on Sunday under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and has picked Lucena city top councilor Anacleto ‘Third’ Alcala III as her running mate for vice governor in spearheading the so-called Team Serbisyong Tunay at Natural or Team STAN.
The filing of COC of a complete slate for the province’s 4 districts by Team STAN on Sunday stunned political observers with the inclusion of fresh faces and names to challenge the team of the formidable Suarez patriarch who, before succeeding his son, former Gov. David 'Jayjay' Suarez, has been congressman for almost 2 decades in the province' 3rd district, Suarez political bailiwick.
Arrogancia joins Tan
Aside from Tan and Alcala, the NPC slate has the surprise inclusion of 3rd district board member Reynante Arrogancia, a former Suarez ally board member in Sangguniang Panglalawigan (SP) who has decided to jump ship and joined Tan a few days before his filing of COC for congressman to challenge the post being held by Rep. Aleta Suarez, the governor's wife, in the 3rd district.
Tan, chair of the House committee on health, said she believes Alcala and Arrogancia will be a great help in advancing her health advocacy amidst Covid-19 pandemic and her aspiration to institute well-meaning change and reform in the province as she expressed confidence that they will strengthen Team STAN in their journey to the provincial capitol.
Tan's slate also included reelectionist 1st District Rep. Mark Enverga and Tan's own son seeking to succeed her in the 4th district, Atty. Mike Tan.
The 2nd district congressional post, presently held by Cong. Jayjay Suarez who filed for reelection under the banner of the Nacionalista Party (NP) on Oct. 4, is being contested by returning former Cong. Vicente 'Kulit' Alcala who filed his COC the following day together with his daughter, Vinnette Alcala-Naca, a neophyte and aspirant board member in the same district. Both are running under NPC under the Team STAN.
Tan has just celebrated her 50th birthday on Oct. 1 and has began her political career, 13 years ago, on Oct. 6 when she first sought election as representative of the 4th district.
Board member bets
In the 1st Dist., Tan has reelectionist Bokal Jerry Talaga and Tayabas city councilor Julius Luces; for 2nd Dist. – Vinnette Alcala and Emmerson Sio, son of outgoing incumbent board member Elizabeth Sio; for 3rd District – John Joseph Aquivido and Rudy Orfanel, both political neophytes; and 4th Dist. - reelectionists Bokal Sonny Ubana and Derek Magbuhos, and Harold Butardo, son of ex-board member Manuel Butardo.
Tan's group earlier attended Holy Mass at 7AM at the Peñafrancia church in Bgy. Gulang-Gulang led by Bishop Mel Rey Uy and she was accompanied by her husband DPWH Region 1 director Ronel Tan and the rest of her allied STAN bets and die-hard supporters.
After Mass, they went to the Ouan's Worth Farm at Bgy. Silangang Mayao for breakfast and brief press conference before proceeding to the Comelec provincial office at the nearby new city hall government complex to file their COC's.
Both wearing masks and facing each other before the Comelec staff, Tan and Third Alcala led the filing of candidacy, followed by congressional bets and finally by aspirants for SP members.
Alcala has long been bruited about as vice mayoralty bet of the son of outgoing Lucena city mayor Roderick Alcala, a cousin, and his becoming a running mate of Tan surprised many political observers.
Third Alcala will be facing in vice gubernatorial race Betty Nantes, widow of the late Gov. Raffy Nantes and mother of outgoing Vice Gov. Sam Nantes, who has become Suarez' ally. Both are facing the challenge of incumbent 1st district board member Alona Obispo who is running for vice gov as ‘independent’ under the banner of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL).
Suarez administration bets
Suarez filed his reelection bid for governor 3 days later, on Oct. 6, together with his running mate Betty Nantes who both filed their COCs under the Lakas-CMD. They first attended Mass at Sentro Pastoral in Bgy. Isabang.
They were joined by reelectionist 3rd district board member Donald ‘Jet’ Suarez, board member Rhodora ‘Dhoray’ Tan who filed her COC for representative of 4th district; returning board member Raquel Mendoza for 4th district; and neophyte aspirants Pauline Ann Villasenor-Bazar and Rommel Anca for board members in 1st and 3rd districts.
Incumbent 2nd district board member Maria Yllana 'Yna' Liwanaghas filed ahead for reelection under NP, while ex-board member Ferdinand ‘Bong’ Talabong, also sought to regain his old post. Outgoing vice governor Sam Nantes decided to run for mayor of Tayabas city.
Meanwhile, in Suarez' bailiwick in the Bondoc Peninsula, incumbent Rep. Aleta Suarez, the governor’s wife, has filed for reelection.