Vilma Santos will not run in 2022 elections

Showbiz icon and politician Vilma Santos on Thursday announced that will not be running for any post in the May 2022 elections.

The outgoing House Deputy Speaker and Batangas representative made the announcement through her social media accounts.

"After careful consideration of the present situation, especially the limitations in conducting a campaign during a pandemic, I have decided not to seek any elective post in the May 2022 elections," Santos-Recto wrote on Instagram.

"Pero hindi nangangahulugan na titigil na ako sa pagseserbisyo sa ating mga kababayan. Nandito pa rin ako para maglingkod sa inyo. I have been serving the public for more than 23 years and will continue to serve, in the best way I can, even in my private capacity," she added.

Santos-Recto concluded her post with a vow to continue to serve.

"Tuloy pa rin ang trabaho at serbisyo! Sa lahat ng nagtiwala at patuloy na sumusuporta sa akin, maraming maraming salamat po. Pagpalain nawa tayo ng Poong Maykapal," Santos said.

Santos-Recto is on her second term as congresswoman. She joined politics in 1998 when she became the first female mayor of Lipa City. She completed her three terms as the chief executive of the city.

The award-winning actress also made history when she became the first woman governor of Batangas province in 2007.

In 2016, she made history again as the first woman to represent Lipa, with the district formed before the 2016 elections.

Santos-Recto was the chairperson of the Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation in the 17th Congress but was removed from the position after she voted against the re-imposition of death penalty.

In 2019, she won her second term at the House of Representatives and became the Deputy Speaker.

The 67-year-old Santos has principally authored 147 bills, co-authored 32 bills.

She also pushed for the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise.

Dubbed as the country's Star for All Seasons, Santos is the wife of Senator Ralph Recto. She was last seen on the big screen in the 2016 drama "Everything About Her." 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/07/21/vilma-santos-will-not-run-in-2022-elections