Broken alliances shape 2025 Marikina local races

MANILA, Philippines – This week’s filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2025 elections saw local races in Marikina City heat up as the Teodoros and Quimbos vie for the top local posts, with a broken alliance thrown into the mix.

At the House of Representatives, Stella Quimbo and Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro are colleagues representing the two separate districts of Marikina City. For the 2025 elections, they will face against each other for the city’s top post.

Their husbands will also run for Congress but in different districts. Incumbent Mayor Marcy Teodoro is running to represent the 1st district, while former House deputy speaker Miro Quimbo seeks to represent 2nd district.

The outgoing Mayor Marcy is up against term-limited Senator Koko Pimentel.

Both Marcy and Pimentel initially had an alliance. Pimentel said that Marcy should be running as representative for the 2nd district, while he would vie for the 1st district.

The senator said he was surprised when Marcy filed for the 1st district instead. The arrangement between the two happened between December 2023 and February 2024, according to Pimentel. 

Marcy, however, disputed this. According to him, Pimentel abruptly ended their alliance on July 28, forcing Marcy to shift gears and run for the 1st district, changing their original plan.

Had Marcy opted for the 2nd district, he would have been up against Miro. 

According to Stella, “political survival” prompted her and her husband to run at the same time because of Marcy’s supposed attempt to “erase” the Quimbos. She said it was the only way they saw to continue their programs in the district. 

“We sort of decided a year and a half ago when we noticed that we were being neglected in the district, and we realized that the mayor of Marikina really wanted to erase us,” Miro said in mix of English and Filipino. 

Marcy, on the other hand, refuted this allegation. He said that elections is not about “erasing a candidate.”

“[Election] is a democratic process. It is for the people and what the people need. We will let the people choose the best person to serve them. This is not about eliminating a candidate or candidates in a particular place. It is a