2019 Elections: Pilar, Sorsogon Candidates

Mayor Carolyn Sy-Reyes is seeking re-election under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and is facing two challengers — Vice Mayor Celso Lao Jr., of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and Andres Marbit (Independent). In the end, however, the race is seen to be just between the mayor and the vice mayor as Marbit lacks the necessary resources and political machine.

The race between the top two political leaders is expected to be tight. Both are incumbent, both have access to resources, and both have their own a vote-network. The advantage of Reyes is that she is more visible than Lao being the local chief executive, she is aligned with Chiz Escudero that could further boost her candidacy, and her vote-network is anchored on her husband’s time-tested political machine. Lao, though, is allied with President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban as well as with the Lees that controlled the province for more than a decade.

For the vice mayoralty election, the contest will be between incumbent councilors Luis Leosala Jr. (NPC), and Francis Gacosta (PDP-Laban). Leosala was able to generate more votes than Gacosta. Will that still be the case this 2019?

The complete list of candidates is as follows:

For Mayor