TACLOBAN CITY – Familiar and dominant families in Eastern Visayas filed their Certificates of Candidacy for the 2025 mid-term elections.
Leyte Gov. Jerico Petilla is running for his second term against Romeo Plasquita and Minda Buctot. Vice Gov. Leonardo Javier is unopposed.
ROMUALDEZ (FB)
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is seeking reelection as Leyte first district representative against Danilo Chua, Romilda Bacale, and Minerva Gaut.
Second district Rep. Lolita Javier, the wife of Vice Gov. Javier, goes up against lawyer Alberto Hidalgo.
Javier’s son, Mayor Jassie Tañala, filed for reelection in Jaro, while Mayor Michael Dragon is seeking for re-election in Javier with his brother Mark Christopher as vice mayor.
Leyte third district Rep. Anna Victoria Veloso Tuazon is challenged by his cousin Emmanuel Veloso.
Her father, former Court of Appeals Justice and Rep. Vicente Veloso III, is up against fourth district Rep. Richard Gomez.
Her sister Marie Kathryn is seeking a fresh term as Sangguniang Panlalawigan member.
Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez is gunning for a fresh three-year mandate against Violy Codilla, while her brother, Mayor Matt Torres, is running for another term in Kananga against former Mayor Rowena Codilla.
Lucy's sister Carmen Torres-Rama is running for reelection as councilor in Ormoc while her husband, Board Member Vince Rama, will run for mayor in Albuera against Mayor Sixto dela Victoria and controversial personality Rolando Kerwin Espinosa, the son of slain Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez is seeking a second term against Renato Sipaco, Michael dela Cruz, and Rodel Gio.
Romualdez’s son, Liga ng mga Barangay President Raymund, is running for vice mayor against Marc Vincent Romualdez and Maria Lourdes Segovia.
The Speaker's son, Ferdinand Martin Jr., is seeking a seat as councilor in Tacloban City.
In the fifth district, Rep. Carl Nicolas Cari, son of Baybay City Mayor Cari and nephew of Gov. Petilla, is challenged by lawyer Levito Baligod, whose wife Marilou is running for mayor in Baybay against Mayor Jose Carlos Cari, the cousin of Gov. Petilla.
Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan is running for representative of the second district and Rep. Harris Ongchuan is for governor. Rep. Ongchuan is running against lawyer Harlin Castro Abayon, a former governor and former congressman.
Niko Raul Daza, son of Rep. Paul Daza, is running as representative of the first district, in lieu of his father who held the post in the past two Congresses.
Vice Gov. Clarence Dato is unopposed in his quest for a second term.
In Eastern Samar, Gov. Ben Evardone withdrew his candidacy in favor of his son, Board Member Ralph Vincent Evardone. Ralph Vincent is battling Quinapondan Mayor Rafael Asebias.
For vice governor, incumbent Maria Caridad Goteesan is up against Neil Camenforte.
In Samar, the Tan siblings, Gov. Ann, Vice Gov. Arnold, first district Rep. Stephen James, and second district Rep. Reynolds Michael are unopposed.
In Biliran, former Gov. Rogelio Espina is seeking to replace his son, Gov. Gerard Roger, while Board Member Roselyn Espina is running for vice governor.
Rep. Gerardo Espina filed for reelection and Naval Mayor Gretchen Espina is seeking a fresh term.
In Southern Leyte, Gov. Damian Mercado filed for reelection and is up against Leo Oliverio and Amalia Yap. Amalia is second district Rep. Christopherson Yap’s mother. Rep. Yap is challenged by Imelda Tan.
Former Rep. and Public Works and Highways Secretary Roger Mercado filed his candidacy for second district representative and is battling Oscar Camus and Marissa Lerias.
Luz Mercado, wife of former Rep. Mercado, is running for mayor in Maasin City to replace their son Mayor Nacional who is on his third term.