MINDANAO 2025: Still all in the family in 23 of 28 provinces
(A look back on the year that was in Mindanao, and Mindanawons in the national and international scene.)
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 04 January) — While traveling across Mindanao during the election campaign period, there is no need for a map or a phone app to determine what province or city you are in: you would know where you are by the tarpaulins of the political dynasties along the way – their photoshopped or AI-enhanced photographs enticing voters to give them yet another three-year mandate.
Among Mindanao’s 28 provinces, fat, obese and severely obese dynasties rule: six provinces elected governors, vice governors and representatives from the same family; two elected governors and vice governors from the same family, 12 elected governors and representatives from the same family and three elected vice governors and representatives from the same family.
Only five provinces have governors, vice governors and representatives coming from different families.
Dynasties dominate the political landscape, rendering accountability through checks and balances difficult especially if they hold both executive and legislative offices.
Victory at the LGU level, defeat for Marcos’ Senate bets
Allied mostly with the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – candidates or reelectionists in 27 of 28 provinces were from the Marcos administration’s Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas (Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Nacionalista Party and National Unity Party).
But while majority of the dynasties retained power in their local government units for 2025 to 2028, they failed to deliver the votes for Marcos’ Alyansa senatorial candidates.
Only one province – Agusan del Norte – has a reelected Governor from the Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas (PDP) of former President Rodrigo Duterte, but the Mindanao votes from all 28 provinces went to the senatorial bets endorsed by the former President who was arrested on March 11 and has been detained in The Hague, the Netherlands, since March 12 to face charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court.
In Mindanao, only 5% “very much agree” to ban political dynasties
A survey conducted by Pulse Asia on December 12 to 15 and released on December 30 shows that while majority in Luzon and Visayas agree with the statement that “Congress should immediately pass a law banning political dynasties,” in Mindanao, only 5% “very much agree.”
Sixty-nine per cent of residents in the National Capital Region agree on the immediate passage of the law, 59% in the balance of Luzon, 59% in the Visayas and only 34% in Mindanao – with 29% saying they “somewhat agree” and only 5% saying they “very much agree.”
The survey also notes that more Mindanawons (38%) “cannot say if agree or disagree” compared with 20% in the NCR, 26% in the Balance of Luzon and 23% in the Visayas, according to Pulse Asia.
The survey shows that more Mindanawons (27%) disagree with the statement compared with NCR’s 11%, the Balance of Luzon’s 15%, and the Visayas’ 18%. Of the 27% in Mindanao who disagree, 10% “very much disagree.”
Camiguin
Camiguin, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. are ruled by governors, vice governors and representatives from the same political dynasties.
Xavier Jesus Romualdo (Lakas-CMD) was elected for a second term as Governor of Camiguin while his uncle, Rodin (PFP) is Vice Governor, and the lone district representative to Congress is his father, Jurdin Jesus (Lakas) who held that post from 2007 to 2016 and 2019 to 2022.
Jurdin Jesus had also served as lone district representative from 1998 to 2007 and 2022 to 2025. Xavier Jesus as Representative from 2013 to 2022.
The Romualdos have ruled Camiguin as Governor since 1998 – 30 years by 2028 – and has been the lone district representative to Congress since 1987 or 38 years as of 2025 and 41 years by 2028.
The late patriarch Pedro Romualdo, was Representative from 1987 to 1998, and from 2007 to 2013; and Governor from 1998 to 2007.
Davao del Sur
Yvonne Rona Cagas (NP), wife of Vice Governor Marc Douglas Chan Cagas IV (NP), was elected for a second term as Governor. Marc Douglas is the son of the late Governor Douglas Cagas. The lone district representative is John Tracy Cagas (NP), nephew of Douglas.
Douglas Cagas served as Governor of Davao del Sur from 1987 to 1992; 2007 to 2013 and 2016 to 2021. Douglas’ fifth term would have ended in 2022 but he succumbed to COVID-19 on June 10, 2021. His son, Marc Douglas, then Vice Governor, succeeded as Governor.
Douglas was representative of the 1st district of Davao del Sur from 1998 to 2007, was succeeded by his son Marc from 2007 to 2013, Douglas’ wife Mercedes from 2013 to 2022; and nephew John Tracy from 2022 to 2025.
The Cagas dynasty has represented Davao del Sur’s first district and later the lone district of Davao del Sur (when the second district was carved out of del Sur to become Davao Occidental province) since 1998.
John Tracy’s brother, Josef, was elected to a third term as mayor of Digos City, Davao del Sur’s lone city and seat of the provincial capitol.
Davao Occidental
The Governor of Davao Occidental is Franklin Peralta Bautista (PFP), the Vice Governor is his sister Lorna Bautista Bandigan (Lakas-CMD) and the lone district representative is brother Claude Bautista (NPC). All three have served as representatives, but the brothers have served as governors, too.
The patriarch, Benjamin Bautista, Sr. was Representative of the 2nd district of Davao del Sur from 1987 to 1998. His son Franklin succeeded him from 1998 to 2001, then Claude from 2001 to 2007; Franklin again from 2007 to 2016 and the patriarch’s daughter, Lorna Bautista-Bandigan, from 2016 to 2022.
Another sibling, Benjamin Bautista, Jr., was Governor of Davao del Sur from 2013 to 2016. In the first election of Davao Occidental in 2016, Claude was elected Governor and reelected for the 2019 to 2022 term, succeeded by Franklin in 2022, who was reelected in 2025.
Benjamin Jr. is now mayor of Malita town, a post earlier held by his siblings. Benjamin’s Vice Mayor is also a Bautista.
Lanao del Sur
In Lanao del Sur, the Adiongs continue to dominate the political landscape. Mamintal “ Bombit” Alonto Adiong Jr. was reelected to a sixth term as Governor, a post held by the Adiong family since 2001 (his father, Mamintal Adiong Sr. from 2001 to 2004, was reelected in 2004 but died on July 3; his mother Soraya Bedjora from 2016 to 2019). His son, Mohammad Khalid, is Vice Governor while his brother Zia won a second term as 1st district representative, a post held by the Adiongs for eight terms now (Mamintal Adiong Sr. from 1992-2001; Ansaruddin Adiong from 2013-2022 and Zia from 2022).
In Sulu, the Tans still dominate the political landscape with patriarch and outgoing Governor Abdusakur Mahail Tan, elected as Vice Governor while his son and namesake Abdusakur II, with whom he has traded the governorship, is back as Governor. Another son, Samier, is 1st district Representative. The Tans ran under Lakas-CMD party.
Sakur Tan’s daughter, Shihla Tan-Hayudini, was reelected mayor of Maimbung town while another daughter, Shernee Tan-Tambut, outgoing Kusug Tausug party-list Representative, was elected Vice Mayor.
The patriarch, Abdusakur Mahail Tan, ended his sixth term as Governor on June 30, 2025. Abdusakur II had served as Governor from 2013 to 2019.
In Tawi-Tawi, Yshmael Sali was elected to a third term as Governor, his son Al-Syed is Vice Governor while his nephew, Dimszar, is lone representative to Congress.
Gov, Vice Gov
Two provinces are under a Governor-Vice Governor tandem: Basilan and Davao del Norte.
In Basilan, outgoing lone district Rep. Mujiv Hataman is Governor while his brother, Hadjiman or Jim, who served as Governor from 2016 to 2025, is now Vice Governor. Mujiv won against Jim’s son.
Mujiv had previously served as AMIN party-list Representative from 2003 to 2010; appointed OIC Governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) from December 2011 to June 30, 2013; elected ARMM Governor for two terms from 2013 to 2019 and was back as Representative from 2019 to 2025.
In Davao del Norte, Edwin Jubahib won a third term as Governor while his 23-year-old daughter Clarice, an entrepreneur, won the post of Vice Governor (PPF) against former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
Governor-Representative
The 11 provinces where the Governor and Representative are from the same family are Bukidnon, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, North Cotabato, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay.
Of the 11, two are husband and wife teams – Bukidnon’s Rogelio Neil Pepito Roque and wife Laarni; and Davao de Oro’s Raul Gorospe Mabanglo (Ind) as Governor and wife Maria Carmen Zamora as 1stdistrict representative (Lakas-CMD).
In Surigao del Norte, Robert Lyndon Smith Barbers is Governor, while sister-in-law Bernadette Barbers, wife of outgoing 2nd district representative Ace Barbers, is taking over her husband’s post.
Father and son
In Davao Oriental and Misamis Occidental, the Governor and Representative are a father and son team: Davao Oriental’s Governor Nelson Dayanghirang (NP) is Governor while Nelson Dayanghirang Jr. (Lakas-CKMD) is 1st district Representative.
In Misamis Occidental, Henry Oaminal is Governor while his son Sancho Fernando is 2nd district Representative.
Mother and child
In North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay, it is a mother-and-child team for Governor and Representative.
Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza of North Cotabato was reelected for a fifth term while daughter Ma. Alana Samantha (Lakas-CMD) was reelected as 3rd district Representative. Samantha won even before election day. She ran unopposed.
In Zamboanga del Sur, Divina Grace Cabardo Yu was reelected as Governor while children Joseph Kim and Jeyzel Victoria are 1st and 2nd district representatives, respectively. The Yus ran under the Lakas-CMD.
In Zamboanga Sibugay, Dulce Ann Hofer (PFP) was reelected Governor while daughter Anna Marlesa is 2nd district representative to Congress.
Mother and son and daughter
In Lanao del Norte, outgoing 1st district Representative Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo (PFP) is back as Governor, a post he held from 2007 to 2016 while mother Imelda Quibranza Dimaporo (Lakas-CMD), outgoing governor, is taking over her son’s post. Imelda was Governor from 1998 to 2001 and 2016 to 2025 and Representative from 2010 to 2016.
Mohammad Khalid’s sister Amirah is 2nd district representative.
His father, Abdullah, was Governor from 1992 to 1998; 2nd district representative from 1987 to 1992; 2001 to 2010; 2013 to 2022.
Before EDSA 1986, Abdullah served in the Interim Batasang Pambansa from 1978 to 1984 and the regular Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986.
The Dimaporo patriarch, Mohammad Ali, was Representative from 1949-1953; 1957, 1966-1977 and 1987 to 1995.
Brother and brother … and parents, too
In Zamboanga del Norte, outgoing Dipolog mayor Darrel Dexter Tang Uy (Lakas-CMD) is the new Governor while his brother, Roberto “Pinpin” Tan Uy Jr. (Lakas-CMD) was elected 1st district Representative.
The patriarch, Roberto Y. Uy, served as Governor from 2013 to 2022 and is now back as Dipolog City mayor, a post he held from 1998 to 2007. Uy’s wife, Evelyn took over the post of mayor from 2007 to 2016 and their son Darrel Dexter from 2016 to 2025.
Roberto Jr. or Pinpin, is Roberto Uy’s eldest son before his marriage to Evelyn,
In Surigao del Sur, Johnny Ty Pimentel, who ended his three terms (2016 to 2025) as 2nd district Representatives, returned as Governor, a post he had held for two terms, from 2010 to 2016. His brother Alexander took over his congressional seat. Alexander was mayor of Tandag, the provincial seat of Surigao del Sur, from 2007 to 2013, and from 2016 to 2019. Alexander’s wife, Roxanne, was mayor from 2013 to 2016. She was again elected as mayor in 2019, was reelected in 2022 and in 2025.
In Maguindanao del Norte, long-time Sultan Kudarat town mayor, Datu Tucao Mastura, is the first elected Governor of the province, after it was carved out of Maguindanao. His daughter-in-law, Sittie Shahara Ibrahim Mastura (Lakas-CMD), won a second term as 1st district Representative. Shahara’s husband, Datu Shameen, is mayor of Sultan Kudarat town.
In Agusan del Norte, Enrico Raymundo Corvera (PDP) is Vice Governor while Dale Corvera is the lone district representative.
In Agusan del Sur and Sultan Kudarat province, the Vice Governor and Representative come from the same family. Patricia Anne Borja Plaza (NUP) is Vice Governor of Agusan del Norte while her uncle, Adolph Edward G. Plaza (NUP), is 2nd district Representative.
Patricia Anne is daughter of the late Butuan City Mayor Democrito Plaza II (1992-2001; 2004-2010) and Leonides Theresa “Daisy” Borja Plaza (mayor 2010-2013). Her brother, Roscoe Democrito, was reelected as mayor of Nasipit town in Agusan del Norte while another brother, Randolph, was reelected as Vice Mayor of Loreto town in Agusan del Sur.
In Sultan Kudarat province, Prince Raden Mangudadatu Sakaluran (Lakas-CMD) is Vice Governor while his mother, Ruth Mangudadatu Sakaluran, is 1st district Representative.
5 provinces: not all in the family
The five provinces whose governor, vice governor or representative are not from the same family are Dinagat Islands, Maguindanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Sarangani, and South Cotabato.
In Dinagat, the elected governor is Nilo Demerey, Jr. (PFP), Geraldine Buray Ecleo (PFP) is Vice Governor and Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao, former Dinagat Governor, is the province’s lone representative to Congress.
In Maguindanao del Sur, Ali Musa Midtimbang (PFP) won as governor, Hisham Salandab Nando (UBJP) is Vice Governor while former governor Esmael Mangudadatu (PFP) is back as Representative.
In Misamis Oriental, Juliette Tiu Uy (NUP) is the new Governor while Jeremy Johnahmar Go Pelaez (Lakas-CMD) is Vice Governor and the representatives are Jennifer Artadi Lagbas (NUP), 1st district, and Yevgeny Vincente Beja Emano, 2nd district.
In Sarangani, Rogelio Dapidran Pacquiao (PFP) won a second term as Governor, Danny Martinez (People’s Champ Movement) is Vice Governor while the lone representative to Congress is Steve Chiongbian Solon (Lakas-CMD). Solon served as Governor from 2013 to 2022.
In South Cotabato, Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. won a third term as Governor, Arthur Pingoy Jr. is Vice Governor while the three representatives are Isidro Lumayag of PFP, Ferdinand Hernandez of PFP and Dibu Sno Tuan of Aksyon Demokratiko. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
No comments:
Post a Comment