Malonzo joins House race in Caloocan, vows to amend laws in barangay

Former Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo “Rey” Malonzo files his certificate of candidacy on Saturday, October 5, 2024, running for a congressional seat in the first district of Caloocan. Malonzo is under the Kapisanan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino party. Also in the photo, his son his son, Christopher “PJ” Malonzo, will file his COC for the vice mayor position in the city on Sunday. INQUIRER.net / Luisa Cabato

Rey Malonzo files COC for House seat in Caloocan’s 1st district

Malonzo to vie for House seat in Caloocan, vows to amend laws in barangay

MANILA, Philippines — Former Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo “Rey” Malonzo said he will push for amendments in the process of electing barangay captains if he ever wins in the 2025 national and local elections.

Malonzo filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Saturday for the congressman position in the first district of Caloocan City, under the Kapisanan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino party.

“Tingin ko dapat maraming baguhing batas sa Pilipinas. Ako partikular na gusto kong baguhin ay ‘yung tungkol sa barangayan,” he said in an interview.

(I think there are many laws in the Philippines that need to be changed. In particular, what I want to change is the one about the barangays.)

READ: Ex-Caloocan Mayor Malonzo files graft rap vs Rep. Malapitan

“‘Yung barangayan kasi ay dapat na ibalik natin to sa barangay council kung saan ‘yung mga barangay iboboto ‘yan ng council, at sa loob ng tatlong [taong] pag-upo nila, tatlong kapitan ang uupo,” he said.

(The barangayan system should be returned to the barangay council, where the barangay officials are elected by the council, and during their three-year term, three captains will serve.)

Malonzo believes that this could help curb corruption within barangay levels, as the village chief would only be allowed to sit for one year.

He will face another former Caloocan City Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan, who filed his COC for the first district congressman post last October 2.

In the interview, Malonzo admitted that his fight for the position will not be easy.

“Hindi rin naman natin masasabing madali ang laban, but nararamdaman ko sa taong bayan, they want changes. Hindi pwedeng isang pamilya lang ang magpapatakbo sa Caloocan,” he said.

(We can’t say that the fight is easy, but I feel that the people want changes. It can’t be that only one family runs Caloocan.)

Malonzo served as city mayor from 1995 to 2004.