Belmonte endorses daughter as vice mayor, 'Bistek' as mayor

MANILA, Philippines – Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. announced yesterday that his daughter, Joy Belmonte-Alimurung, will run for vice mayor in tandem with mayoralty candidate Herbert “Bistek” Bautista, the city’s incumbent vice mayor, next year.

“She is not running for mayor as some people think. She is running for vice mayor,” Belmonte said. 

Joy, as the first lady of Quezon City, has been spearheading various outreach activities in the city and other parts of the country.

Belmonte made the announcement after he turned over two checks representing P43 million in premium arrears from the Quezon City government to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

“Let me tell you, Joy Belmonte has a long record of social work, not only in Quezon City but in the country. Immediately after she graduated from college, she spent more than a year in Bukidnon as (part of Ateneo de Manila University’s Jesuit Volunteer Program) and even in Quezon City, this has been her advocacy,” he said.

Belmonte said he will also endorse Bautista’s mayoralty bid.

The mayor, however, remains close-lipped on his political plans after he finishes his term. When asked if he will run as congressman again, Belmonte said: “That’s one of my options. There are many options. Let’s just wait.”

Before going to GSIS yesterday morning for his appointment, Belmonte attended the first meeting of the national executive committee of Lakas-Kampi in Quezon City. “It is more of a household fixing-up sort of meeting,” he said.

Belmonte also defended Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando from insinuations that he (Fernando) should back out of his presidential plans.

Apparently referring to the statements of Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who has openly revealed his support for the bid of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Belmonte said Fernando remains one of the administration’s choices for presidential candidate.

Belmonte said Fernando called him up to clarify the matter.

“Hey, that’s not true. That maybe the view of one or two people who were present but certainly on an official basis, we have never excluded you. We continue to regard you as a prime candidate,” Belmonte told Fernando.