Early birds at the Comelec
TWO incumbent district representatives seeking reelection were among the early filers of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the 2016 elections.
Consistent with his habit for being the early bird, First District Rep. Jesus ‘Boying’ Celeste was the first to file his COC on Monday at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office Monday even before it opened its doors.
Third District Rep. Rose Marie “Baby” Arenas filed hers before noon.
Celeste, who is seeking reelection for his third term, said he left his hometown Bolinao at 5:00 a.m. and arrived here at 7:00 a.m.
Asked if his being first to file has something to do for good luck through feng shui, Celeste said, “Oh no, it’s just my habit to wake up early and proceed early to my appointments.”
“Iba yung maaga, mas nakalalamang ka lagi (It’s different when you’re early, you are always ahead),” he said.
Celeste is running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
For her part, Arenas, accompanied by her daughter, former congresswoman Rachel Arenas, said she filed on the first day of the week-long filing of COC under the Liberal Party banner “because I want to be first”.
She said she hopes she would run again unopposed, like in her previous term in 2010. But she is ready to fight, saying her several accomplishments in her district would speak about the quality of public service that she and her daughter have been rendering to their constituents.
Rachel, on the other hand, who was earlier reported to possibly join the administration’s senatorial slate, said she was offered some options by the administration party which is still studying carefully, saying “what’s important is how we could help in the Daang Matuwid of President Aquino”.
She, however, kept mum on these options as she does not want to pre-empt announcement to be made by the administration.
Her mom said her daughter was also given a certificate of nomination and acceptance by the administration for local and national positions. “So they (would-be opponents) should better behave otherwise she might consider these,” she said.
“Or we might do substitution again,” the elder Arenas said.
Rachel filed her candidacy for her third term as congresswoman in 2013 unopposed but her mother eventually substituted for her.
Meanwhile, Chinky Perez also filed her candidacy for provincial board as representative of the Fifth District while reelectionist Board Member Napoleon Fontelera Jr of first district also filed his COC for his third term. Both are running under NPC-Biskeg na Pangasinan.
Another early filer was Loreto Obice of Partido Bagong Maharlika for board member of First District. (Tita Roces)
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