KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 5 Oct) – House Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez (PDP-Laban) is running for governor of South Cotabato in the 2022 elections.

Hernandez, who is in his third and last term as second district congressional representative, filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) here on Tuesday along with his party slate.

He will be running against incumbent Gov.[]

Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., stalwart of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.[]

Tamayo, former three-term mayor of Tupi town, defeated former Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes, who served the province for about three decades as governor and congresswoman.

Avance-Fuentes is seeking a comeback in the second congressional district that will be vacated by Hernandez in 2022.

She joined Hernandez during the COC filing and would be up against Koronadal City Vice Mayor Peter Miguel, previously the city’s mayor for three-terms.

Hernandez’s running mate is incumbent Vice Governor Vicente de Jesus.

In the first congressional district, Hernandez’s party is fielding Danny Nograles, businessman and husband of incumbent First District Rep.[]