By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental dismissed reports that he will run for vice governor in the 2025 polls in lieu of Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer who will reportedly seek the fourth district congressional representative post.
“Not in 2025, I want to focus on the programs and projects I started in Cadiz City until 2028,” Escalante told Daily Guardian.
He added that he does not want to leave things hanging and would rather see these projects completed before he seeks a higher post.
Escalante, who is still eligible for another 3-year term, said “I am not saying I am not interested, who wouldn’t be? But not this 2025 elections.”
Escalante, secretary-general of the United Negros Alliance (UneGa), has been floated as among the possible vice gubernatorial candidates after Ferrer earlier hinted that he may return to Congress to replace his wife, Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer, who is now on her final term as representative of the 4th district of Negros Occidental.
Escalante admitted that the vice gubernatorial position has been offered to him several times.
Now on his second term as mayor of Cadiz City, Escalante previously served as a board member for nine years, representing the 2nd district of Negros Occidental.
Escalante disclosed that UNegA will decide on its vice gubernatorial bet after the October 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
He added that the coalition between UnegA and Love Negros Team of Governor Eugenio Lacson remains strong.
UnegA and Love Negros Team forged a political alliance in the 2019 polls with Lacson as governor and Ferrer as vice governor.
The alliance was maintained until the 2022 elections.
Escalante stressed that if anybody will run against incumbent Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, “it will not come from UNegA”.
He also said that he met with Victorias City Mayor Javi Benitez, president of the Association of Chief Executives (ACE), who was in Macau with mayors from the province.
He stressed, though, that he was with the councilors of Cadiz City.
Benitez, who is rumored to be eyeing the gubernatorial post in 2025, is expected to come up with a statement before the Barangay and Sanggunian Kabataan elections.
