MANILA, Philippines — The week-long filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 midterm elections started on Monday, October 1.
With the filing period running until October 8, political clans are joining forces to vie for local races in Metro Manila, while others are looking to maintain their hold on current positions.
Here is Philstar.com’s list of Metro Manila candidates with family members as running mates in the 2025 midterm elections.
Caloocan
Caloocan First District Rep. Oscar “Oca” Malapitan is seeking reelection as he filed his COC, joined by his wife Edna Malapitan and son Dale “Along” Malapitan, on Wednesday at the Commission on Elections - National Capital Region (NCR) in San Juan.
The former Caloocan mayor is running under the Nacionalista Party while his son Along, who replaced him as mayor, will bid for a second term with Vice Mayor Karina Teh.
The father-son previously succeeded positions when Oca served three consecutive terms in Congress from 2004 to 2013. He then became Caloocan mayor in 2013, passing the congressional seat to his son.
In 2022, Along kept his family's hold of the city and took over as mayor while his father returned to Congress.
Along is looking to face former senator Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV, who announced his candidacy for the mayoral post on Sept. 15.
Malabon
Former lawmaker Federico "Ricky" Soteco Sandoval II, husband of current Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, filed his certificate of candidacy on Wednesday, October 2, aiming to reclaim his position as Malabon lone district representative.
Sandoval previously served in Congress as representative of Malabon and Navotas from 1998 to 2007 and as Malabon’s congressional district representative from 2016 to 2019.
His wife Jeannie, who was a former vice mayor in 2013, was proclaimed Malabon City’s first female mayor in 2022 after a face-off with rival Enzo Oreta.
Ricky will go against former Malabon mayor Antolin “Lenlen” Oreta III, who also filed on Wednesday. His wife has yet to file her candidacy.
Navotas
A brother tandem seeks to continue their leadership in Novatas, with incumbent Mayor John Rey Tiangco renewing his bid for a second term on Tuesday, October 1, after being elected in 2022.
He first took the mayoral seat unopposed in 2010, serving a three-year term, replacing his brother Toby Tiangco, who served two terms as mayor from 2000 to 2010 before winning a congressional seat unopposed.
His brother Toby earlier filed his candidacy for reelection under Partido Navoteño at the Comelec-NCR office in San Juan City. The Navotas lone representative is also the current campaign manager of Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas, the administration’s senatorial slate.
Toby became a Navotas mayor anew in Navotas in 2019 after being barred from reelection in Congress, succeeding his younger brother, who replaced him as representative for the lone district of Navotas.
Taguig
In Taguig, former congressman Arnel Cerafica who filed his candidacy as mayor is teaming up with running mate and wife, Janelle Cerafica, as vice mayor.
Arnel was the congressman of the Taguig-Pateros district from 2010 to 2019 and was a councilor from 2001 to 2007.
This marks his third consecutive attempt for the mayoral position after losing the 2019 elections to former Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano, alongside his wife in 2022 but lost to incumbet Mayor Lani Cayetano.
The Comelec Second Division dismissed the electoral protest filed by Arnel against Lino who had won the mayoral race in the 2019 elections after lack of evidence of the alleged irregularities.
Meanwhile, Lino has announced his bid for a return to the House of Representatives as congressman of Taguig-Pateros' first district, instead of joing the mayoral race to support Lani.
His sister-in-law Lani will seek reelection campaign in the upcoming elections, having served the as city mayor from 2010 to 2019, and in 2022. — Intern, Mabel Anne Cardinez