Outgoing Vice Mayor Nancy Socrates believes she won the 2025 mayoral race in Puerto Princesa City.
“Bagamat iba ang naproklama, alam naman ng tao kung sino ang totoong nanalo. Doon sa 71,000 na tumayo, maraming, maraming salamat. Medyo kinapos tayo ng konti pero like I said, we know who really won in this campaign, ” the vice mayor said in an interview she granted to the local media following the May 12 elections.
“Para sa akin talaga, yong nanalo, yong 71,000 na yan na mahigit na tumayo para sa mga sarili nila at sa kanilang mga kapwa taga Puerto Princesa. Malungkot lang na may mga iba na hindi nanindigan, but we understand,” she added.
Mayor Lucilo Bayron of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) narrowly won re-election against Nancy Socrates of LAKAS, securing 73,445 votes to her 71,799, a slim margin of 1,646 votes.
Despite the results, Socrates hinted at possible irregularities, saying she is awaiting advice from her lawyers to determine whether the “situation can be reversed.”
“Ayoko naman sabihin na hindi pa tapos ang laban, pero we are waiting sa ating mga abogado kung ano ang magiging recommendations nila. Ayoko rin magbigay ng false hope to anyone, but ako, if—I would go doon sa who supported us and those who really helped us—to try and see if there is a way na ma-reverse yong current situation,” she stated.
Socrates said rather than planning to run again in 2028, she is taking it easy for the time being. But if the people believe her brand of leadership can succeed, she is also prepared to step up.
