Parañaque City—In a surprising move, Aileen Claire Olivarez (ACO) has officially announced her candidacy for mayor, going up against her brother-in-law, Congressman Edwin Olivarez, despite the objections of her husband, Mayor Eric Olivarez.

During a press conference held just before she filed her certificate of candidacy, ACO revealed her independent bid for the city's mayoralty. Her run puts her in direct competition with her husband's brother, Edwin, who is running under the Team Bagong Parañaque banner, while her husband, Eric, will run for a congressional seat in Parañaque's first district.

When asked if any members of the Olivarez family supported her, ACO confidently stated that her father-in-law, former Mayor Pablo Olivarez, had expressed his backing for her candidacy.

“I was very happy that my father-in-law, the former mayor, gave his support to me not once but twice. So I am very confident that I can win this even if I run as an independent candidate for mayor,” she said.

ACO cited unresolved issues in the city, including illegal drugs, garbage collection, and flooding, as key motivations for her candidacy. According to her, these concerns have left many residents dissatisfied with the current administration's efforts to address them. She emphasized the need for a leader who engages directly with the community, rather than merely overseeing from the office.

Aileen also highlighted her experience as Parañaque's first lady, during which she led several programs such as the Cleanliness, Beautification, and Sanitation initiatives, and served as the city's Nutrition Action Officer and president of the Isang Plato Sagot Ko (IPSK) Foundation. Her advocacies include improving welfare for children, women, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Her candidacy marks a bold move in Parañaque politics as she seeks to address pressing local issues and provide a new leadership style in the city.