Tarlac City Mayor Gelacio “Ace” Manalang and Paniqui Mayor Miguel “Dors” Cojuangco Rivilla have filed their certificates of candidacy for governor and vice-governor with the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) under the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).
Both on their third and last term as elected chief executives of their respective local government units, the two mayors have shown individual decisiveness to bring their city and municipality to unprecedented progress in terms of infrastructure development and services.
Their party will field a complete slate for members of the sangguniang panlalawigan.
Some mayoral candidates in several municipalities have already signified their intention to align with the Manalang-Rivilla tandem feeling that their respective municipalities have been disadvantaged enough by the previous provincial administrations.
Rivilla himself even “fell victim to the arrogance” of the dominant political party when his losing opponent in 2013 allegedly used all dirty tactics to remove him from the office of the mayor.
Meanwhile, more than 300 victims of Typhoon Lando in Paniqui, the hometown of the late former President Cory C. Aquino, received medical assistance from the medical mission conducted by the Luis Tirso M. Rivilla General Hospital.
Most of those who availed themselves of the medical services were families sheltered at the public schools in Canan and Sta. Inez, two of Paniqui’s 19 barangays hit by strong winds and waist-deep floodwaters generated by Lando.
The typhoon also destroyed several hectares of the town’s agricultural lots planted to rice and other crops.
The hospital team composed of a physician, nurses and administrative staff made sure that the victims particularly the children and babies were examined for their general well-being as they stayed in evacuation centers.
The team dispensed medicines including paracetamol, antibiotics and multi-vitamins among others as part of its preventive medical program.
Some officials of the local government unit came to observe the medical mission but they were not allowed to hang political posters or make campaign speeches.
Mayors Manalang and Rivilla will be up against Rep. Susan Yap-Sulit (2nd district, Tarlac) and Board Member Carlito David of Concepcion who are running for governor and vice governor respectively.
