He ran under the ticket of former Vice-Governor Genaro Alvarez as the vice-gubernatorial candidate. Eventually, he won the polls but his running mate lost to the incumbent Governor Alfredo G. Marañon Jr.[2]
Despite belonging to the opposition and holding the majority in the Negros Occidental Provincial Board, he maintained a good relationship with the Governor. He decided not to run against Governor Marañon, though the governor fielded Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer as his running mate, after failed reunification talks between United Negros Alliance and his coalition, the Love Negros Alliance.[3]