EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the ninth of a series of articles which identified some of the prominent political dynasties in the country. Studies conducted by the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) identify two types of political dynasties inherent to Philippine experience. “Thin” dynasties involve family members succeeding one another in office [sunod-sunod], often as a means to circumvent term limits and maintain political influence. In contrast, “fat” dynasties are composed of family members running for and holding
multiple positions at the same time [sabay-sabay] in the legislative and executive branches of government (Mendoza, et al., 2019).

Using the data collected by the Ateneo School of Government through the Ateneo Policy Center from 1992 to 2022, and with additional historical research from News5 Digital, we compiled lists of family members for the ten vote-rich provinces in the Philippines for the 2025 elections. Through a combination of AI tools and manual review, the dominant families in the ten largest voting provinces were identified and arranged chronologically, from the oldest to the youngest members on record. While some family rosters are exhaustive, others remain incomplete due to the lack or scarcity of information confirming each member’s position and term in office.

Leyte as the tenth vote-rich province in the Philippines is an established
geopolitical barometer in the Visayas with more than 1.4 million voters for
the 2025 elections. The province sits as an invaluable touchstone for political
aspirants seeking to carve significant inroads into the vast Eastern Visayas
electoral bloc. The conduct and outcome of elections in the province often
reflect broader political trends in the Visayas and can determine regional
alignments in Congress and local governance, with the current House
leadership originating from one of Leyte’s prominent families.

A closer look at election data from 1992 to 2022, compiled by the Ateneo
Policy Center, coupled with historical research from News5 Digital, reveals
the enduring power and persuasion of a few political families in shaping
Leyte’s political landscape for decades. Some of these families – Petilla,
Romualdez, Veloso, Loreto, and Cari – remain rooted and expanding from
their respective bailiwicks in the province.

PETILLA FAMILY

The Petilla clan has held multiple offices in the province, particularly the
gubernatorial seat and the 1st congressional district, since the 1990s. The
rotation of offices among their family members demonstrates classic
dynastic succession tactics, allowing continuity of power across electoral
cycles.

Courtesy: PNA

Leopoldo “Polding” Petilla Sr.
GOVERNOR

● Polding was the family patriarch. He became governor in 1992 and vice
governor in 1988.

Remedios “Matin” Veloso Loreto-Petilla
GOVERNOR, MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MAYOR

● She is Polding’s wife. Matin succeeded her husband as governor,
winning in 1995 and serving until 2004. She then pivoted to the lower
house as 1st district representative from 2004 to 2007. Matin would
later win the mayoral post of Palo in 2010, 2013, and 2016. In 2022,
she returned for another term and is seeking reelection unopposed in
2025. Remedios is also part of the Veloso and Loreto political families.

Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla
GOVERNOR, ENERGY SECRETARY

● Icot is the son of Polding and Matin. He was elected governor in 2022.
Prior to his election, he served as energy secretary under the Aquino Jr.
administration. He ran twice as senator in 2007 and 2016 but lost on
both occasions. He is seeking reelection in 2025.

Leopoldo Dominico “Mic” Petilla
GOVERNOR

● Mic is the brother of Icot. He was a three-term governor from 2013 to
2022. In 2020, he became chairman of the Regional Development
Council for Eastern Visayas under the National Economic and
Development Authority.

France Anne “Ann” Petilla
MAYOR

● Ann, the sister of Icot and Mic, was elected Palo mayor in 2019 until
2022.

ROMUALDEZ FAMILY

With a long history of political involvement, tracing from as far back as the
American colonial period, the Romualdez family continues to dominate local
politics in Tacloban City and the 1st district even a century later. The family
has also capitalized on political name recall and strategic positioning in
national party coalitions

Miguel Romualdez
MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY, MAYOR

● He served as a member of the American-era House of Representatives
— then called the Philippine Assembly — from 1912 to 1916. After
representing Leyte in the lower house, he served as Manila mayor from
1924 to 1927.

Norberto Romualdez, Sr.
MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY

●He is a brother of Miguel and a representative of Leye’s 4th district in
the Philippine Assembly from 1936 to 1943. Norberto later became an
associate justice of the Supreme Court from 1921 to 1932. He is also
recognized as one of the “Seven Wise Men” who drafted the 1935
Philippine Constitution.

Daniel “Danieling” Z. Romualdez
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

● Miguel’s son Danieling also became a member of the lower chamber
after World War II, starting from 1949 to 1961 for the 4th district, and
then from 1961 to 1965 for the 1st district. Danieling became the tenth
House Speaker from 1958 to 1962.

Courtesy: Wiki Commons

Imelda Romualdez-Marcos
MEMBER OF BATASANG PAMBANSA, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

● Danieling’s cousin, Imelda is the wife of former president Ferdinand
Marcos Sr. and mother of the incumbent president Bongbong Marcos.
During her husband’s two-decade rule, she was a member of the
Interim Batasang Pambansa from 1978 to 1984 and Governor of Metro
Manila. When the Marcoses returned to the Philippines in the 1990’s —
years after Marcos Sr. was deposed during the Edsa People Power
uprising in 1986 — she made a congressional comeback, winning the
1st district seat of Leyte in 1995. From 2010 to 2019, she would serve
as 2nd district representative of Ilocos Norte. Imelda was convicted of
seven counts of graft by the Sandiganbayan for illegally funneling
about $200 million to Swiss foundations in the 1970s while she was
Metro Manila governor. She was sentenced to be imprisoned from 6 to
11 years for each count, totaling up to 77 years. Imelda has appealed
the Sandiganbayan ruling before the Supreme Court.

Courtesy: Wiki Commons

Carlos Benjamin Orestes “Kokoy” Romualdez
GOVERNOR

● Imelda’s late brother Kokoy served as Leyte governor from 1967 to
1986. He also once served as the Philippine ambassador to the United
States.

Courtesy: Philippine Star

Ferdinand Martin Romualdez
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

● Kokoy’s son Martin is the incumbent Speaker of the House of
Representatives. He served as representative of Leyte’s 1st district for
three terms from 2007 to 2016. Elected to the same post in 2019 and
2022, Martin is seeking reelection unopposed in 2025.

Yedda Marie Romualdez
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

● Between 2016 and 2019, Martin’s wife Yedda represented Leyte’s 1st
district in Congress. She returned as a member of the House of
Representatives in 2019, this time as the representative of Tingog
Partylist.

Alfred Romualdez
MAYOR

●He is a cousin of Martin, President Bongbong Marcos, and Senator Imee
Marcos. Alfred was mayor of Tacloban City from 2007 to 2016. In 2013,
he led local government efforts to fast-track the city’s rehabilitation and recovery from the onslaught of Super Typhoon Yolanda. Alfred again ran for mayor in 2019 and is now seeking a third term unopposed in 2025. He also became a congressman in 1998, replacing her aunt Imelda.

VELOSO FAMILY

The Veloso family stands among the oldest and most entrenched dynasties
in Leyte. Their role in Leyte’s local politics spans more than a century,
holding positions ranging from mayor and vice mayor to congressman and board member.

Courtesy: Wiki Commons

Jose Maria Veloso
SENATOR, MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND HOUSE OF
THE REPRESENTATIVES, GOVERNOR

● The first and the most prominent political figure from the clan is the
late Jose Maria Veloso, who served as Leyte governor, senator, and
lower house representative during the American colonial period. He was also a member of the National Assembly during both the
Commonwealth era and the Japanese occupation.

Marcelino Veloso
MEMBER OF BATASANG PAMBANSA AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENATIVES

● He represented the 3rd district of Leyte from 1957 to 1972 before
Congress was abolished during the Martial Law period.

Alberto Veloso
MEMBER OF BATASANG PAMBANSA AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENATIVES

● He is a cousin of Marcelino. He was a three-term member of the lower
house, representing the 3rd district from 1987 to 1998.

Eduardo K. Veloso
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE

● He replaced his cousin Albero as representative of the 3rd district of
Leyte, serving from 1998 to 2007.

Courtesy: Ching Veloso sa Kwatro Distrito Facebook Page

Vicente “Ching” Veloso III
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE

● Ching reclaimed the 3rd district seat for the family in 2016 and served
until 2022. He was also appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 2004 to 2015. Ching was accused of masterminding the murder of a barangay councilor in Malawaan, Tabango, Leyte in 2016. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed charges against him before the Supreme Court only in January 2025. The Court of Appeals cleared him of drug-protector allegations in 2021. Ching is running for 4th district representative against incumbent Richard Gomez in 2025.

Courtesy: congress.gov.ph

Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE

● She is the daughter of Ching. Anna won the 3rd district seat in 2022 and
is seeking reelection against cousin Emmanuel “Wingwing” Veloso in
2025.

Marie Kathryn “Chinggay” Veloso-Kabigting
PROVINCIAL BOARD MEMBER

● Chinggay is the sister of Anna and daughter of Ching. She was elected
as 3rd district member of the provincial board in 2022 and is seeking
reelection in 2025.

Courtesy: Municipality of San Isidro, Leyte Facebook Page

Remedio “Bebot” Veloso
MAYOR

● Bebot is a cousin of Anna and Chinggay. He is a two-term mayor of San
Isidro and will eye a third term in 2025

Jorge Veloso
MAYOR

● Jorge has been the mayor of the town of Villaba for several terms
(1992-1998, 2013-2016, 2019-2022).

LORETO AND CARI FAMILIES

Related to the Petilla and Veloso clans, the Loreto and Cari families
command the 5th congressional district and Baybay City. Like the Petillas’
hold over the gubernatorial post in Leyte, the 5th congressional seat and
Baybay City mayoral post has rotated among the members of the Cari
family.

Courtesy: lgubaybay.wordpress.com

Carmen Loreto-Cari
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MAYOR

● The clan’s matriarch Carmen was Leyte’s 5th district representative for
three consecutive terms from 2001 to 2010. She was also the mayor of
Baybay from 1988 to 1998, and then for another three terms from
2010 to 2019.

Jose Veloso Loreto
MAYOR

● He served as mayor of Baybay City for three terms from 1980 to 1988.

Carlo Loreto
VICE GOVERNOR, MEMBER OF THE PROVINCIAL BOARD

● Jose’s son Carlo served as vice governor from 2013 to 2022. He was
also a member of the provincial board from 2004 to 2013, and from
2022 up to the present.

Courtesy: Rep. Jose Carlo L. Cari
Facebook Page

Jose Carlos “Boying” Cari
MAYOR

● In both times that Carmen stepped down as mayor, her son Boying
took over — first from 1998 to 2007, then from 2007 until 2009. He
became the representative of Leyte’s 5th district from 2010 to 2019.
After this, he returned as Baybay City mayor.

Michael “Mike” Cari
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR

● Boying’s brother Mike was also elected as Baybay mayor in 2007
before his mother returned to the post in 2010. From 2010 to 2019, he
was Baybay’s vice mayor.

Courtesy: Wiki Commons

Carl Nicolas Cari
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

● Carl replaced his father Boying as Leyte’s 5th district representative.
Before this, he was the President of the Sangguniang Kabataan
Federation and Liga ng mga Barangay in Baybay. He was one of the
principal authors of the Malasakit Centers Act, Creation of the Visayas
State University (VSU) College of Medicine, and Philippine Indigenous
Games Preservation Act, among others.

Why Leyte matters in 2025
The province is home to key national figures, most notably House Speaker
Martin Romualdez, a close ally and cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Romualdez’s stature means that political developments in Leyte can have
broader implications for national politics especially in 2028. Romualdez and
other incumbents are seeking re-election, indicating the province’s continued
importance as a stronghold for established political families and parties. The
incumbent Speaker is running unopposed and the likely opposition to his
reelection may come from elements outside his immediate backyard, notably
from neighboring politicians who remain aligned with the previous
administration, deepening tensions among supporters.

The searing political climate in the province has prompted the Commission
on Elections to classify districts as either “yellow” or “orange” based on the
security level due to potential election-related violence or disruptions. One
mayoral candidate, suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa survived an ambush
while campaigning in Albuera. Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez has also
filed a disqualification case against Espinosa for allegedly challenging her
husband, Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez, to a gun fight in a live Facebook
broadcast. With Leyte’s competitive electoral atmosphere, local and national
aspirants are likely to tap into family ties, economic patronage, and
grassroots alliances to obtain favorable outcomes and new mandates, amid
rivalries that had engulfed the province in past elections.