CANDIDATES. Three political aspirants file their certificates of candidacy at the Commission on Elections provincial office in Legazpi City, Albay on Tuesday (Oct. 8, 2024). They are (from left) Ako Bicol Party-List Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon for Albay 1st District representative, former AKB representative Christopher Co for Albay 2nd District representative, and Hisham Ismail for mayor of Legazpi City. (PNA photo by Connie Calipay)
LEGAZPI CITY – Two aspirants for congressional seats and one for mayor filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) in Albay on Tuesday.
Ako Bicol (AKB) Party-List Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon filed his candidacy, this time seeking to represent the province's 1st District.
In an interview after filing his COC at the Commission on Elections provincial office here, Bongalon said he would offer simple, realistic and practical solutions to the problems and concerns of the 1st District of Albay.
"I will offer what I am capable of," he said.
Bongalon said his programs would focus on education, health, agriculture, tourism and trade.
"It will boil down on the budget, what we can be capable of and what we can bring to the table," he said.
Bongalon said together with AKB Representative and Committee on Appropriations chair Elizaldy Co, the programs and budget for Albay 1st District will be given priority and attention.
He is running against Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman, daughter of incumbent Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman.
Meanwhile, former AKB representative Christopher Co also filed his COC as Albay 2nd District candidate.
In an interview, Co said he would focus on agriculture, employment, education, and bringing solutions to electricity, water, and traffic woes.
"I'm running because we want to provide many projects and programs for the people of the 2nd District," Co said.
Co mulls the rehabilitation of the Albay Electric Cooperative and solving traffic and water supply problems.
"Ask anyone, the water in Legazpi City is the worst. We went to Barangay Buenavista. The water was very good. We got a water source there that can supply the needs of the people," he said in the vernacular.
He added that he also wants to strengthen disaster mitigation projects since Albay is a calamity-prone province.
On the other hand, an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Albay, Hisham Ismail, filed his COC for mayor of Legazpi City.
He will face suspended mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal.
Rosal was handed a one-year suspension by the Ombudsman in an order dated Aug. 29 after she was found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The issue stemmed from alleged irregular employee movements that also resulted in the dismissal from service of her husband, former Albay governor Noel Rosal.
As a registered nurse, Ismail said he wants to provide easy access to healthcare services to the people of Legazpi.
"Nine out of ten prescriptions that are given to me are from Legazpi City Hospital, so that means there is a shortage of medicines, so we will give attention to this. We want to have more diagnostic centers," he said. (PNA)
