Jaehwa Bernardo

4 gubernatorial bets in Batangas cast votes

Article (news)

Arnell Ozaeta

BATANGAS - The four candidates running for governor in Batangas cast their votes early Monday.These include actress Vilma Santos-Recto, who voted with her vice-governor Luis &quot;Lucky&quot; Manzano, his wife Jessie Mendiola, congressional candidate Ryan Recto, and Finance Secretary Ralph Recto at Inosluban Elementary School in Lipa City around 11:30am.Cheers from the crowd greeted the Recto family. Santos had served as governor of Batangas for three consecutive terms and as mayor of Lipa for also three consecutive terms.She was elected as the representative of the Sixth District of Batangas in 2016 and also served as a House Deputy Speaker from 2019 to 2022. Gubernatorial candidate Walter Ozaeta, meanwhile, cast his vote at Padre Imo Luna Memorial Elementary School (PILMES) in San Jose, Batangas past 8 a.m. Ozaeta, widely known as &quot;Kuya Kap,&quot; is a barangay captain from Barangay Poblacion IV in San Jose, Batangas. As a political neophyte, he entered the 2025 Batangas gubernatorial race to face seasoned and popular politicians.Mataasnakahoy  vice mayor and gubernatorial aspirant Jay Manalo Ilagan voted at San Sebastian Elementary School in Mataas na Kahoy.Ilagan held various local government positions Mataasnakahoy. He served as mayor for two terms from 2013 to 2019, and vice mayor for another two terms from 2019 to 2025. He was elected president of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines Batangas Chapter in 2022.Former party-list congressman and gubernatorial aspirant Mike Rivera voted early at Barangay Banaba Elementary School in Padre Garcia. Rivera, who is from Padre Garcia, Batangas, previously served as the town&#x27;s mayor and as a representative for the 1-CARE party-list. He officially announced his candidacy for governor of Batangas in 2025 during a flag-raising ceremony, backed by prominent endorsements, including that of former Senator and Finance Secretary Ralph Recto. However, for unknown reasons, Recto dropped Rivera from his roster and backed his wife Vilma to run instead as governor of Batangas.

The four candidates running for governor in Batangas cast their votes early Monday.

The four candidates running for governor in Batangas cast their votes early Monday.