Early COC filers: Belmonte in Quezon City, Nancy in Makati

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte will run for a third consecutive term in the May 2025 midterm elections.

In Makati, Sen. Nancy Binay is seeking to switch posts with her younger sister, Mayor Abby Binay, who will run for senator under the Marcos administration ticket.

Belmonte and Nancy were among those who filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for mayor yesterday.

Belmonte was joined by her running mate, Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, in filing their COCs.

Belmonte and Sotto, who ran as a tandem in the 2019 and 2022 elections, filed their COCs at the Amoranto Sports Complex, where the local Commission on Elections (Comelec) set up a venue for candidates running for local posts in Quezon City.

They were accompanied by their fathers, former speaker of the House of Representatives and mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and former Senate president Vicente Sotto III as well as other relatives, allies and supporters.

“The legacy of the Belmonte administration is not just about the number of buildings and houses we have built, the job and livelihood opportunities we have created and the reforms we have institutionalized,” Belmonte said in a statement.

“It is how we have improved the lives of our QCitizens and earned their trust in the past five years. It is the resounding vote of confidence from the business sector, even amid the pandemic and other challenging situations. Ultimately, what matters most is the lasting impact we have made on the people we serve,” she added.

For her third and last term, Belmonte vowed to help Quezon City residents realize their dreams of having a better life.

She touted the programs implemented by her administration, including those strengthening education, transportation and livelihood.

“We can proudly say that we have provided and will continue to provide this kind of service for all those we serve,” Belmonte said.

In an interview after filing her COC, Belmonte said her key priorities include social services, health, shelter and environment.

She also committed to continue making the city more business-friendly to generate more jobs.

“What we really want is to uplift the lives of the less privileged,” Belmonte said.

Sotto said he and Belmonte would continue to fight for good governance and pass local legislation that would protect families “from all kinds of abuse, discrimination and violence.”

Belmonte and Sotto are running under the local Serbisyo sa Bayan party.

They have yet to release their full slate, but some have filed their COCs.

Belmonte and Sotto accompanied some of their congressional candidates at the Comelec National Capital Region office in San Juan.

Among those who filed their COCs were Representatives Arjo Atayde of District 1 and Patrick Michael Vargas of District 5, who are both seeking reelection.

Belmonte’s nephew Mikey Belmonte was the first to file his COC at the Amoranto Sports Complex.

Mikey is running for a third consecutive term as councilor in the city’s second district.

Accompanied by his father, PhilSTAR Media Group president and CEO Miguel Belmonte, the councilor said his priorities include providing various services, particularly socialized housing, for his constituents.

He also committed to support the programs of the Belmonte administration.

Nancy-Campos face-off?

In Makati, Nancy officially filed her COC for mayor together with her vice mayor, former Olympian and actor-turned-politician Monsour del Rosario, under the United Nationalist Alliance party, which was founded by her father, former vice president Jejomar Binay.

They filed their COCs at the Comelec office in Barangay Valenzuela.

Nancy’s candidacy may set the stage for a mayoral race against her brother-in-law, Makati Rep. Luis Campos, the husband of Abby.

At a press conference, Nancy expressed sadness over the political division within the family.

“There was no space for us to talk. So it’s sad because we’re family. But we remain as a family above all, ” Nancy said. “To me, I am not running against my sister. There is no ‘Abby Binay’ in the ballot. We are not enemies.”

The Binay patriarch endorsed Nancy’s candidacy for mayor.

In a Facebook post, Nancy expressed gratitude to her father, saying, “Thank you, Dad, for trusting that I can continue the good service you started in Makati.”

Abby is running for senator under the Nationalist People’s Coalition. She is part of the Marcos administration’s senatorial slate.

In a recent interview, Abby revealed her disappointment over Nancy’s decision to run for Makati mayor, but acknowledged the senator’s right to pursue her political aspirations.