LEGAZPI CITY – Mayor Noel Rosal, together with Vice Mayor Robert Oscar Cristobal, filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) office here on Wednesday, the last day of COC filing.
With the two officials were seven incumbent councilors and three new council aspirants who likewise filed their candidacy. The whole slate, organized by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda, is running under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
A huge crowd of supporters accompanied the group of Rosal, who is a multi-awarded local chief executive.
Before going to the Comelec, they attended a Eucharistic Mass at the Saint Gregorio Magno Cathedral Church in Albay district.
The seven re-electionists who filed their candidacies are Councilors Vince Baltazar lll, Lilibeth Muñoz Dimaculangan, Ismael Buban lll, Jaime Andes, Al Bariso, Lilian Ramirez, and Fernan Imperial, while the three new candidates for councilors are media practitioner Diego Obido, lawyer Amore Rex Raneses, and businessman Ogie Ojano.
Rosal, in an interview, said all the candidates of his team are capable of enacting ordinances and other important resolutions for the continuous progress and development of this city.
He said they will work hand in hand for all the important programs and projects of the city administration to improve the life of every Legazpeño.
Rosal also vowed to give the city residents more employment opportunities and to work for better health care services, particularly for indigent patients.
He likewise said he wants to improve the educational services to all the pupils, especially those in remote villages.
Another important project of the city administration is the conversion of the 70-hectare old airport in Albay district into an economic zone to pave the way for new businesses.
The mayor added that he will work for the expansion of the newly-constructed two-storey city hospital into a three-storey health facility to be able to serve more patients.
Rosal began his political career as captain of Barangay Gogon in 1989-1995. He served as city councilor in 1995-2001.
He was first elected as mayor in 2001 and served until 2010. His wife, Geraldine, was then elected as mayor, serving from 2010 until 2013, while he was the city administrator.
After his wife finished her term, he was again elected as mayor in 2013, and is now on his second term.
Rosal received numerous awards, among them most outstanding mayor in local governance from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (Emmanuel Solis/PNA)
