CONCEPCION, Tarlac (October 2, 2024) — Thousands of supporters of this town’s mayor lined the streets from the parish church to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office yesterday afternoon.
Incumbent mayor Noel Villanueva, his vice mayoral candidate Evelyn Rivera, and 11 Sangguniang Bayan candidates – five incumbents and six other aspirants – made their way to the COMELEC after a mass at the Immaculate Conception Parish Church adjacent to the plazuela.
The mass appeal of Villanueva and his team drew an estimated crowd of 5,000 cheering on the candidates as they emerged from the COMELEC office after filing their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs).
Villanueva, a four-term mayor of this town, is expected to win a fifth term in office in next year’s elections.
The popularity of Villanueva seemed to have been eclipsed by the up-and-coming celebrity-turned-politician Ion Perez, a noontime variety show host of ABS-CBN’s “It’s Showtime” as groups of people push their way to have the chance for a photo op with the famous host. Perez is a native of Concepcion.
The model and noontime show host took his oath as a Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) member before Tarlac Governor Susan Yap just before he filed his candidacy.
Aside from Perez, incumbent councilors Sein Gomez, Erwin James Villanueva, Carlo Avena, Calvin Sardia, and Jayson Lagman were joined by Rolly Puno, Marvin Macalino, ABC President Edward Suarez, Owen Baluyut, and Gigi Dizon have also filed their COCs for Sangguniang Bayan.
