KALIBO, Aklan – Like all previous local elections in Aklan, female candidates are outnumbered by their male counterparts, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) official list.
The Comelec list showed that out of 437 candidates in Aklan, only 83 of them are women or 18.99 percent of the total is vying for local positions from Sangguniang Bayan to Aklan district representative in Congress.
Of those numbers, 69 of them are seeking electoral posts for councilors, nine for mayor, three for vice mayor, one for Provincial board member, and one for a seat in the House of Representatives.
All municipalities in Aklan have women candidates for the midterm elections.
The towns of New Washington and Batan have the most number of women candidates with eight each. Malay has seven candidates followed by Kalibo and Makato with six women candidates, and Numancia, Altavas, Banga, Buruanga, Ibajay with each having five women candidates.
Eight women are running in Lezo and Nabas, Malinao and Tangalan with three candidates each and two each from Libacao, Madalag and Balete.
The ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) is fielding the most candidates with 27 for the May 2022 elections while 12 are from Aksyon Demokratiko, 10 from Progressive Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives and eight from Nacionalista Party.
National People’s Coalition and Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma have five female candidates each, four belonging to Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats and Kilusang Bagong Lipunan with two candidates.
Six women are running as independent candidates, while National Unity Party and United National Alliance each have one candidate.
Meanwhile, four incumbent women mayors are seeking re-election in New Washington, Malinao, Buruanga, and Lezo, while two incumbent vice mayors are also running in Kalibo and Buruanga./PN
