MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – At least 1, 147 aspirants in Pangasinan province have filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 mid-term polls from October 1 to October 8 but they are not official candidates yet, according to a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official.
In a phone interview Wednesday, Comelec Pangasinan election supervisor, lawyer Ericson Oganiza, said the COCs will still be processed by the Commission, with a tentative list to be released by October 29 and the official list of candidates afterwards.
“Anytime, they may withdraw their candidacy but there is no substitution,” he said.
Of the total aspirants, 11 filed for Congressional seats in the province’s six districts.
Incumbent Pangasinan 1st District Representative Arthur Celeste is unopposed in the first district, while incumbent 2nd Dist. Rep. Mark Cojuangco and Lingayen town incumbent Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil will vie for the second district, and incumbent 3rd Dist. Rep. Rachel Arenas, former Rep. Generoso Tulagan Sr. and George Absolor are running for the third district.
In the fourth district, former Rep. Gina de Venecia and former Dagupan City Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez have filed their COCs; while incumbent 5th Dist. Rep. Ramon Guico Jr. and Urdaneta City incumbent councilor Franco Paolo del Prado gun in the fifth district; and incumbent 6th Dist. Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas and Gilbert Estrella, son of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, will face each other in the sixth district.
For the gubernatorial post, incumbent Gov. Ramon Guico III and former Gov. Amado Espino III have filed their COCs while incumbent Vice Gov. Mark Ronald Lambino and former Dasol town Mayor Noel Nacar are gunning for vice governor.
Some 25 aspirants have filed their COCs for Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) posts.
Aspirants for mayoralty posts reached 101 while it is 103 for vice mayor, 79 for Sangguniang Panlunsod (city council), and 824 for municipal board.
Oganiza said the election board will also start processing the voter registrations from July to September starting October 14. (PNA)