By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY – Former Negros Occidental 6th District Representative Genaro “Lim-ao” Alvarez said his desire to serve the people of Kabankalan City motivated him to join the 2025 mayoral race.
Alvarez, 81, filed his Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance on October 8 as an independent candidate. He joined six other contenders for the post, including incumbent Mayor Benjie Miranda and former Mayor Isidro Zayco.
Kabankalan City currently has the most mayoral candidates in Negros Occidental.
“I just want to offer my services to the people of Kabankalan,” Alvarez told The Daily Guardian on Thursday.
Alvarez, a former three-term lawmaker for the 6th District, had taken a break from politics. His daughter, Representative Mercedes Alvarez Lansang, took over his post and is running for re-election for a second term.
When asked if his daughter supports his mayoral bid, Alvarez humorously responded, “What a funny question.”
His daughter is running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), as is Zayco, who chairs the NPC in Negros Occidental.
“The party doesn’t matter,” Alvarez said, although he admitted that his daughter was not present when he filed his candidacy.
Alvarez also said he would offer jobs to Miranda and his wife, who is running for vice mayor, if he wins the election.
He added that if elected, he would ensure that 20 percent of the development fund is used for barangay projects.
Alvarez also pledged to decentralize government services, so the mayor wouldn’t need to handle every concern brought to the office.
“Government agencies should address these concerns,” he said.
Alvarez asked his second cousin, former Mayor Zayco, to avoid hurling accusations at each other during the campaign, noting it would not benefit either of them.
“I am not his enemy, but Miranda, who defeated his brother in the previous election,” he pointed out.
In addition to Alvarez and his daughter, his son Paul Alvarez is running for re-election as mayor of Ilog, with John Paulo Alvarez as his running mate for vice mayor.
Genaro Ralph Alvarez, a grandson of the former representative, is also running for board member of the 6th District of Negros Occidental.
