Gatchalian wins as Valenzuela congressman

PARTY- LIST Rep. Weslie Gatchalian was re- elected as congressman representing the First District of Valenzuela City and not as a representative of the Buhay party- list group.

Gatchalian, who is presently a congressman representing Buhay partylist in the House of Representatives, ran as an independent candidate. He will replace his elder brother, Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, after defeating his rivals.

Gatchalian garnered 92,541 votes, while Ritchie Cuarra received 22,246 votes, and Victor Reponia got 336 votes.

The Buhay party- list is publicly known as identified with El Shaddai.

The party- list system was integrated to the Philippines political system so that the oppressed and exploited sectors like labor, urban poor, and indigenous peoples, to name a few, will have a representation in the country’s law- making body.

Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, a firstterm congressman, is set to become a senator since he is one of the 12 winning senatorial candidates.

He is currently at the 10th place in the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPRCV) unofficial and partial counting as he got more than 14 million votes as of Sunday morning.

He ran under the Nationalist People’s Coalition ( NPC) banner.

Senator- elect Gatchalian was Valenzuela City’s mayor from 2004 to 2013.

He replaced his younger brother, then Rep. Rexlon Gatchalian, who in turn ran and won as mayor in 2013 elections.

Mayor Gatchalian will serve another three years after gaining 190,856 votes, while his sole rival, outgoing District 2 Rep. Magtanggol “Magi” Gunigundo of the Liberal Party ( LP) got 65,375 votes.

Mayor Gatchalian ran under NPC and stood as official spokesperson of Sen. Grace Poe in the presidential race.

The vice- mayoralty post went to Gatchalian’s running mate, Councilor Lorie Natividad- Borja who received 162,131 votes against the 79,885 votes of Mar Morelos.

Outgoing Vice- Mayor Eric Martinez will replace Guinigundo in the city’s Second District after defeating Adel Gunigundo.