Golez defends ‘young’ Parañaque mayoral candidate

MANILA, Philippines - The age of Parañaque City Councilor Florencio Benjamin Bernabe III, who is running for mayor in the May elections, does not matter, Rep. Roilo Golez said Friday.

Bernabe, 37, is on his second term as a councilor of Parañaque’s second district and currently chairs the city council committees on cooperatives and franchising. He is also vice chairman of the city council committees on education, labor, youth and sports. He is a son of incumbent Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr.

The younger Bernabe is running against Rep. Edwin Olivarez, 44.

Golez said his office conducted a study of those elected for the first time to top local and provincial government posts at a young age. He said among them were Jessie Robredo, elected mayor of Naga at 29; Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos, 35; Muntinlupa Mayor Aldrin San Pedro, 33; former Taguig mayor Sigfrido Tiñga, 36; Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, 28; Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, 30; Pasig Mayor Robert Eusebio, 39; Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay, 32; former San Juan mayor JV Ejercito, 31; Quezon Gov. David Suarez, 33; and Laguna Gov. ER Ejercito, 37.

Under the Local Government Code, candidates for the positions of mayor, vice mayor and councilor of highly urbanized cities must be at least 23 years old on election day.