Incumbent La Union governor Francisco “Pacoy” Ortega III, who backed out from his re-election bid last Tuesday, is instead eyeing the San Fernando City mayoralty post.
Ortega III filed his candidacy for the San Fernando City mayoralty post mid-afternoon Friday and fielded his daughter, Raphaela Veronica Ortega-David as his substitute.
David, a pilot, earlier withdrew her bid in the province’s first district as board member.
Gov. Ortega, who is running under Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC), is seeking the San Fernando City mayoralty post against his own uncle, former city mayor Jose Pepe Ortega and incumbent city mayor Dong Gualberto. “Hindi man naging madali at hindi inaasahan, ang aking desisyon ay bunga ng taimtim na pagdadasal, malalim na pag-iisip, at konsultasyon sa pamilya, mga kaibigan, at mga kasamahan sa pamumuno,” he explained.
He though bravely hoisted, “alam ko ang lalim ng responsibilidad ng daang tatahakin. Ang pagiging Mayor ay hindi lamang isang titulo na sinusundan ng sinumang pangalan.”
The governor vowed ‘no matter the political color is, San Fernando City should give premium to public health, mutual respect and cooperation.”
Gov. Ortega served as La Union governor in 2016 when he succeeded his father, three-term governor Manuel Ortega. He was re-elected in 2019 for the same post and propelled La Union into prosperity and progress.
