INCUMBENT Angeles City Councilor Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin, Jr. on Wednesday, September 5, announced that he will run for mayor in next year's polls.
Lazatin formally aired his mayoralty bid during a media forum hosted by the Pampanga Press Club and Widus Hotel and Casino.
"Officially po, I will be running for mayor of Angeles City," Lazatin said.
During the forum dubbed Talk Widus, Lazatin said his family has reached an agreement and picked him as candidate for mayor.
"Last August 28, I mentioned that there will be a Lazatin who will run for mayor of Angeles City. When we discussed this with my family, my father and my brother Congressman JonJon Lazatin, it was decided that I would be the one to run for mayor," Lazatin said.
Lazatin disclosed that his team was still in the process of selecting his teammates for vice mayor and councilors.
"Right now, it is still in the selection process. We have three possible candidates for vice-mayor which we are carefully selecting since the vice-mayoralty race is also a heavy one," Lazatin said.
Lazatin said 16 individuals, including veteran and new politicians, have signified intention to run with his team.
By the end of the week, Lazatin said he will release a partial list of the team's official candidates for councilor. "We will name five by the end of the week and then by next week we will finalize everything."
Lazatin said he belongs to the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). "It might the same party we will use when I run for mayor."
The official added that among his priority programs include education and health care.
He also vowed to continue the legacy of his grandfather, former mayor Rafael Lazatin and father, former mayor and congressman now Balibago barangay chairman Carmelo "Tarzan" Lazatin.
"What my father and grandfather Apung Peleng always told me was to give the youth 'ammunition' which is proper education," Lazatin said.
He also mentioned programs for senior citizens. "They are very important because they started everything. Without them and the taxes they paid in the past, everything we see now could have been nothing."
