Pangasinan elects youngest mayor

ALAMINOS CITY, Philippines — The newly elected mayor of this city could be the youngest local government executive who won in the midterm polls on Monday.

Arth Bryan Celeste, 21, who had two opponents, garnered 22,498 votes. His closest rival got 19,452 votes.

Except for one, all the candidates under Celeste’s ticket also won.

He graduated last year at the De La Salle University with a degree in business entrepreneurship.

Celeste won as chairman of Barangay Magsaysay also last year. He was elected president of the city and provincial Liga ng mga Barangay, which earned him the title of ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. 

Celeste said he is excited about his new position even though he feels “a bit of pressure.” 

He said he knew he would enter politics like his father, Arthur, the incumbent city mayor, since he was a student.

“It’s something I wanted to try and experience,” Celeste said. “It’s also a feat to have been elected as the youngest city mayor.”

He said he would continue the programs started by his father, even as he gave assurance “you can tell the difference that it’s not Mayor Art Celeste who’s running it, but someone who is Bryan Celeste.”

Celeste said his programs would focus on the youth and youth development. 

“I have to be the leader of the youth of Alaminos City... I want to show them we can be better than our parents,” he said.