CLASH OF POLITICAL FAMILIES

ALAMINOS City Mayor Arthur Celeste has filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Oct. 11 for governor of Pangasinan in next year’s elections for a face-off with reelectionist Gov. Amado Espino III.

Celeste, who is now in his second term as mayor, went to the Minor Basilica Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Manaoag to hear mass before he and his entourage proceeded to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office in Dagupan City.

Celeste started as a barangay captain and became president of provincial Liga ng Barangay then elected as congressman of Pangasinan first district for three terms.

Although he was relatively new in Alaminos as his family is from Bolinao, Celeste became Alaminos City mayor. He has been in public service since 1989.

“I offer myself to our provincemates as one of their choices to lead our province.

I decided to be a candidate because in my opinion, a lot more has to be done in Pangasinan,” he said after filing his COC surrounded by his supporters.

“Maybe our districtmates have seen how I served as barangay captain, congressman, mayor and these are the things that I believe can make me become an alternative leader of our province,” Celeste said.

While some are doubting if he could fight it out with the Espinos who have defeated equally big political names in Pangasinan, Celeste said,” This is a democracy. They have not yet defeated a Celeste so they cannot compare us to the other people they have defeated because I’m different from them”.

He admitted there were attempts for him not to proceed with his gubernatorial bid but added, “I’m still in communication with our common friends and I told them that this is just a friendly game”.

Celeste said he will present his programs and platforms to the people, saying that Pangasinenses are fed up with intrigues or character assassination. ‘”So all I’m asking from my opponents is to lay down their plans, programs and platforms as a candidate,” he said.

He added, “All sorts of crimes or demolition have been thrown at us but in the end, people support us more”.

He said he will focus on three things: peace, livelihood and environment.

“If you look at Alaminos right now, if you last visited it five or six years ago, you can see the transformation,” Celeste said. He said he intends to replicate this if elected as governor.

He added that Alaminos is the first city in the Philippines that was declared as drug-free and he wants to do the same for province.

Citing improvement in tourist arrivals in Hundred Islands at 150,000 before he assumed as mayor, he said tourist arrivals have  grown to 600,000 based on last year’s record.

Mayor Arthur Celeste’s vice gubernatorial tandem remains a puzzle among mediamen and politicians in Pangasinan. “It’s a secret. Just wait,” Celeste said when asked about who his running mate is. (PhilStar Wire Service)

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