LAZATIN TO FILE CANDIDACY FOR CONGRESSMAN

BY KEVIN GALANG

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. is set to file  his certificate of candidacy (COC) today. October 1, as  representative of the first district of Pampanga for the 2025 midterm elections.

The Angeles mayor known as Cong “Pogi” to his constituents will be joined in the filing of COC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec)  office in this city by outgoing Pampanga first district Rep. Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II, who will be running for Angeles City mayoral post; the councilor slate of Team Lazatin; “Pogi” Lazatin’s long-time chief adviser IC Calaguas, and executive assistant IV Reina Manuel.

Lazatin will also be joined by the entire slate of Team Lazatin composed of Vice Mayor Ma. Vicenta Vega-Cabigting, incumbent Angeles City councilors Arvin Suller, JC Parker-Aguas, Marino Bañola, Alexander Indiongco, Raco Del Rosario, Edgardo Pamintuan Jr., Michelle Bonifacio, and Crisanto Cortez; and councilor-aspirants Ron Pineda and Alfred Sangil.

Cong “Pogi” will be running under the banner of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), which recently signed a coalition with the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD). 

The group will be adopted by the local Kambilan Party of Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda.

Lazatin officially announced his candidacy for the congressional post on June 28 in front of some 1,800 guests at the Magalang Plaza, where he unveiled his legislative agenda, highlighting seven main areas: Health; economy and livelihood; vulnerable and marginalized sectors (children, youth, women, senior citizens, persons with disability, solo parents, and LGBTQ); environment; education; transportation; and barangays.

According to Lazatin, the main tenet of his legislative agenda is that “no one will be left behind.”

“Isa lang po ang sinisiguro natin. Sa ating panunungkulan, wala pong maiiwan,  ang lahat ng sektor ng ating lipunan ay mararamdaman ang ating sinserong paninilbihan,” vowed Lazatin.

Also part of Lazatin’s agenda is the filing of a measure to make the fiscal incentives under the Comprehensive Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises or CREATE Law more competitive, to encourage more local and foreign investments, especially in Clark Freeport Zone.

Cong “Pogi” also intends to file a measure that will expand the coverage of the Primary Care Package, under the Universal Health Care Act, to include check-ups and laboratory tests in its coverage, which is expected to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of patients.

Lazatin, who is currently serving his second term as Angeles City mayor, is known for frequently going on”‘house-to-house” visits in all barangays of Angeles City to personally deliver social services, including free inoculations and vitamins for children, and free medicines and social pension for senior citizens.