Term limits · 2001–2025 local elections

When the term ends, but the power doesn’t.

Local officials may serve three consecutive terms. 1,482 times since 2001, a term-limited official moved to another seat, handed the seat to someone with the same surname, traded seats, or came back for it.

Very high risk

124

Every case

494 seat moves

Each strip shows who won the seat in each election from 2001 to 2025.

Search name or placeRisk levelPatternProvince

Clear

This official (●)Same surname (S)Someone elseNo result on file

Highest risk Most recent

Governor · Aurora

Gerardo NoverasChristian Noveras

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Swapped seatsSame-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+1Won another seat the next election: Vice Governor · Aurora
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Christian Noveras

2016Governor · Aurora
2019Governor · Aurora
2022Vice Governor · Aurora

Mayor · Al-Barka, Basilan

Darussalam LajidJaydeefar Lajid

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Jaydeefar Lajid
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Mayor · Al-Barka
2019Mayor · Al-Barka

Mayor · Garcia Hernandez, Bohol

Tita GallentesJess Baja

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Jess Baja
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Mayor · Garcia Hernandez
2019Mayor · Garcia Hernandez

Mayor · Kadingilan, Bukidnon

Jerry Canoy Sr.Jerry Canoy Jr.

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Jerry Canoy Jr.
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Mayor · Kadingilan
2019Mayor · Kadingilan

Representative, 2nd District · Bulacan

Apol PanchoDitse Pancho

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Ditse Pancho
+1Surname held this office 18 straight years

2016Representative, 2nd District · Bulacan
2019Representative, 2nd District · Bulacan

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan

Rtf Flores Marie Flores

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+2Rtf Flores and Marie Flores traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2022
+1Both share the same surname
+1Surname held these offices 18 straight years

2016Mayor · Doña Remedios Trinidad
2019Vice Mayor · Doña Remedios Trinidad
2022Mayor · Doña Remedios Trinidad
2025Mayor · Doña Remedios Trinidad

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Rizal, Cagayan

Joel Ruma Brenda Ruma

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+2Joel Ruma and Brenda Ruma traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2022
+1Both share the same surname
+1Surname held these offices 18 straight years

2016Vice Mayor · Rizal
2019Vice Mayor · Rizal
2022Mayor · Rizal
2025Mayor · Rizal

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Abulug, Cagayan

Manny Vargas Jeff Vargas

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+2Manny Vargas and Jeff Vargas traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2022
+1Both share the same surname
+1Surname held these offices 18 straight years

2016Mayor · Abulug
2019Vice Mayor · Abulug
2022Mayor · Abulug
2025Mayor · Abulug

Mayor · Naic, Cavite

Junio DualanKonsi Dualan

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Swapped seatsSame-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+1Won another seat the next election: Vice Mayor · Naic
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Konsi Dualan

2016Mayor · Naic
2019Mayor · Naic
2022Vice Mayor · Naic

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Tuburan, Cebu

Aljun DiamanteDanny Diamante

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+2Aljun Diamante and Danny Diamante traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2022
+1Both share the same surname
+1Surname held these offices 18 straight years

2019Vice Mayor · Tuburan
2022Mayor · Tuburan

Mayor · City of Kidapawan, Cotabato

Joseph EvangelistaPao Evangelista

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Pao Evangelista
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Mayor · City of Kidapawan
2019Mayor · City of Kidapawan

Mayor · Magpet, Cotabato

Florenito GonzagaKuya Gonzaga

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Kuya Gonzaga
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Mayor · Magpet
2019Mayor · Magpet

Mayor · Magsaysay, Davao del Sur

Arthur Davin Ronie Sarande

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Swapped seatsReturned to the seatTerm limit 2022

●

’01

●

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

●

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+1Won another seat the next election: Vice Mayor · Magsaysay
+2Won the same office back in 2025

2016Mayor · Magsaysay
2019Mayor · Magsaysay
2022Vice Mayor · Magsaysay
2025Mayor · Magsaysay

Mayor · Dumalneg, Ilocos Norte

Lairvee EspirituFrancisco Espiritu

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

●

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Francisco Espiritu
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Mayor · Dumalneg
2019Mayor · Dumalneg

Mayor · Carasi, Ilocos Norte

Rene GasparRobella Gaspar

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Robella Gaspar
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Mayor · Carasi
2019Mayor · Carasi

Vice Governor ⇄ Governor · Ilocos Sur

Jerry Singson Ryan Singson

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+2Jerry Singson and Ryan Singson traded Vice Governor and Governor in 2022
+1Both share the same surname
+1Surname held these offices 18 straight years

2016Vice Governor · Ilocos Sur
2019Vice Governor · Ilocos Sur
2022Governor · Ilocos Sur
2025Governor · Ilocos Sur

Representative, 2nd District · Lanao del Norte

Abdullah DimaporoAminah Dimaporo

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Aminah Dimaporo
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Representative, 2nd District · Lanao del Norte
2019Representative, 2nd District · Lanao del Norte

Mayor · Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte

Lorenzo MañigosAllan Omamos

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Swapped seatsReturned to the seatTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

●

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+1Won another seat the next election: Vice Mayor · Kolambugan
+2Won the same office back in 2025

2016Mayor · Kolambugan
2019Mayor · Kolambugan
2022Vice Mayor · Kolambugan
2025Mayor · Kolambugan

Vice Mayor · Baloi, Lanao del Norte

Mustapha AliAbdul Ali

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Abdul Ali
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Vice Mayor · Baloi
2019Vice Mayor · Baloi

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Tangcal, Lanao del Norte

Nancy Tomawis Fatima Tomawis

Moderate risk · 4 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2022

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

’16

●

’19

’22

’25

+2Nancy Tomawis and Fatima Tomawis traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2022
+1Both share the same surname
+1Surname held these offices 15 straight years

2019Vice Mayor · Tangcal
2022Mayor · Tangcal
2025Mayor · Tangcal

How the risk level is scored

Reached the 3-term limit	+1
Won a different seat in the same province the next election	+1
Vacated seat won by someone with the same surname	+2
Won the same office back later	+2
Traded offices with another official in one election	+2 (+1 if same surname)
Surname held the office 15+ / 21+ straight years	+1 / +2

Low risk 0–2 pointsModerate risk 3–4 pointsHigh risk 5–6 pointsVery high risk 7+ points

What this does and doesn’t mean

Every move counted here is legal. The Local Government Code (and, for House members, the Constitution) limits an official to three consecutive terms in the same office; it does not stop them from running for another office, or for the same office after one term out.

The risk level measures how concentrated a seat has become in one person or one surname. It is not an accusation of wrongdoing.

“Same surname” means a shared last name, or a last name that matches the other’s middle name, as BetterGov.ph Dynasties defines it. A shared name may not mean the two are related.

Source: COMELEC results 2001–2025 compiled by Open Halalan (ODbL), via the BetterGov.ph Dynasties dataset. Covers governor, vice governor, district representative, mayor and vice mayor seats. Representatives fall under the Constitution’s three-term limit.

Political families and surname blocs →