GAPAN CITY – With mayoralty candidates both young and educated, the local elections here are expected to be a high level political exercise, the parish priests and other officials in this city believe.
Church and government officials, along with private individuals, have expressed hope for the peaceful and honest mid-term elections after all local candidates signed a peace covenant in an activity that was spearheaded by various offices recently.
Rev. Fr. Antonio Mangahas, parish priest of Three Kings Parish Church here which hosted the covenant signing, underscored the qualities of incumbent Mayor Christian Tinio and his mayoralty rival Dr. Maricel Natividad, daughter of former Mayor Ernesto Natividad.
“Unlike in other places where you cannot pick anyone, our candidates here both possess the qualities we would all want,” Mangahas said in Filipino. “They are both young and with high education.”
Close to a thousand supporters from the camps of Tinio and Natividad witnessed the covenant signing.
The church was filled with laughter when the priest described Tinio as “makisig na artistahin” and after a brief pause added that Natividad is “magandang artistahin din.”
Tinio and Natividad were given ten minutes each to present their platform of government wherein Natividad vowed to implement various programs on health, education, peace and order, senior citizens and others while Tinio said his team will continue to do what his administration has started.
The crowd obediently held their applause until the speakers have finished their pieces.
Adriana Tan, interior and local government officer here, said the candidates and voters have one dream which is peaceful and orderly elections.
Virginia Togonon, a resident, expressed belief that the candidates will make true of their promise. “This peace pact would show their sportsmanship,” she added.
