Vilma-Leviste tandem in 2010

Batangas City , Philippines  – “Its final!”

Thus said Batangas governor Vilma Santos-Recto, confirming her tandem with vice-governor Jose Antonio “Mark” Leviste II in the coming 2010 local elections here in Batangas province.

“Our tandem is final, Mark will be my Vice Governor, given another chance to serve Batangas definitely maganda ang aming partnership and he knows how to prioritize the urgency of implementing our projects” Santos-Recto said.

Vi, a Lakas party member, said she never had a hard time in getting along with her boardmembers with Leviste’s leadership especially in approving certain projects that need legislations.

“Kapag iisa ang vision mo with your vice governor mas madali ang pagde-deliver ng services sa iyong mga constituents,” she added.

Santos-Recto said she will not run as vice president after reportedly being wooed by presidential candidates such as Sen. Manny Villar, standard bearer for Nationalista Party, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. for the administration party and earlier with Vice President Noli De Castro.

“My focus is in Batangas, my mind has been set to continue serving my kababayans, I know how to handle the problems in Batangas and definitely I know how to solve it” Santos-Recto said, adding that she’s not prepared yet to become the vice president.

Asked if there’s a looming exodus on Batangas politicians who belong to Lakas party and planning to transfer to Liberal party or other party affiliations – “its a wait and see, we have to further study the coming political developments” she said.

In 1998, she entered politics and ran for mayor of Lipa City, Batangas where she won by landslide victories in three consecutive elections.

As the first woman mayor of Lipa City, she helped bring not just economic progress and infrastructure development to Lipa City, but more notably her various programs on public health, education and environment.