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

1,482 seat moves

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

Search name or placeRisk levelPatternProvince

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

Highest risk Most recent

Mayor · Pagsanghan, Samar

Edgar TanSed Tan

High risk · 5 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: Sed Tan
+2Surname held this office 27 straight years

2016Mayor · Pagsanghan
2019Mayor · Pagsanghan

Mayor · Pintuyan, Southern Leyte

Rustico Estrella Sr.Ric-Ric Estrella

High risk · 5 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: Ric-Ric Estrella
+2Surname held this office 24 straight years

2016Mayor · Pintuyan
2019Mayor · Pintuyan

Mayor · Tongkil, Sulu

Whajid SahidullaNikee Sahidulla

High risk · 5 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: Nikee Sahidulla
+2Surname held this office 24 straight years

2016Mayor · Tongkil
2019Mayor · Tongkil

Vice Mayor · Panglima Estino, Sulu

Sherhan Najar Morsid Estino

High risk · 5 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: Morsid Estino
+2Surname held this office 21 straight years

2016Vice Mayor · Panglima Estino
2019Vice Mayor · Panglima Estino

Mayor · Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi

Rahiema Salih Al-Shalid Salih

High risk · 5 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 · Tandubas
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Al-Shalid Salih
+1Surname held this office 18 straight years

2016Mayor · Tandubas
2019Mayor · Tandubas
2022Vice Mayor · Tandubas
2025Vice Mayor · Tandubas

Vice Mayor · Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi

Nur-Fitra Ahaja Alshefa Pajiji

High risk · 5 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: Mayor · Sibutu
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Alshefa Pajiji
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Vice Mayor · Sibutu
2019Vice Mayor · Sibutu
2022Mayor · Sibutu
2025Mayor · Sibutu

Representative, 1st District · Zambales

Jeffrey Khonghun Jay Khonghun

High risk · 5 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: Mayor · Castillejos
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Jay Khonghun
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2016Representative, 1st District · Zambales
2019Representative, 1st District · Zambales
2022Mayor · Castillejos
2025Mayor · Castillejos

Mayor · Sallapadan, Abra

Nenita CardenasGarde Cardenas

High risk · 5 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

●

’10

●

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Garde Cardenas
+2Surname held this office 21 straight years

2013Mayor · Sallapadan
2016Mayor · Sallapadan
2022Vice Mayor · Sallapadan

Mayor · Bunawan, Agusan del Sur

Edwin ElordeBaby Elorde

High risk · 5 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

●

’10

●

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Baby Elorde
+2Surname held this office 27 straight years

2013Mayor · Bunawan
2016Mayor · Bunawan

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Camalig, Albay

Caloy Baldo Ding Baldo

High risk · 5 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+2Caloy Baldo and Ding Baldo traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2019
+1Both share the same surname
+2Surname held these offices 21 straight years

2016Vice Mayor · Camalig
2019Mayor · Camalig
2022Mayor · Camalig
2025Mayor · Camalig

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Hamtic, Antique

Julie Pacificador Junjun Pacificador

High risk · 5 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

●

’16

’19

●

’22

●

’25

+2Julie Pacificador and Junjun Pacificador traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2019
+1Both share the same surname
+2Surname held these offices 27 straight years

2016Vice Mayor · Hamtic
2019Mayor · Hamtic
2022Vice Mayor · Hamtic
2025Vice Mayor · Hamtic

Mayor · Lantawan, Basilan

Rustam IsmaelNursiya Ismael

High risk · 5 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

●

’10

●

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Nursiya Ismael
+2Surname held this office 24 straight years

2013Mayor · Lantawan
2016Mayor · Lantawan
2022Vice Mayor · Lantawan

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Akbar, Basilan

Alih Sali Raiza Sali

High risk · 5 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+2Alih Sali and Raiza Sali traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2019
+1Both share the same surname
+2Surname held these offices 21 straight years

2013Mayor · Akbar
2016Vice Mayor · Akbar
2019Mayor · Akbar
2022Mayor · Akbar
2025Mayor · Akbar

Representative, Lone District ⇄ Governor · Biliran

Rogelio Espina Gerryboy Espina

High risk · 5 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

’10

●

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+2Rogelio Espina and Gerryboy Espina traded Representative, Lone District and Governor in 2019
+1Both share the same surname
+2Surname held these offices 27 straight years

2013Representative, Lone District · Biliran
2016Representative, Lone District · Biliran
2019Governor · Biliran
2025Governor · Biliran

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Rosario, Cavite

Jose Ricafrente Jr.Jose Ricafrente

High risk · 5 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+2Jose Ricafrente Jr. and Jose Ricafrente traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2019
+1Both share the same surname
+2Surname held these offices 21 straight years

2013Mayor · Rosario
2016Vice Mayor · Rosario
2019Mayor · Rosario

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · San Francisco, Cebu

Al Arquillano Aly Arquillano

High risk · 5 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

’10

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+2Al Arquillano and Aly Arquillano traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2019
+1Both share the same surname
+2Surname held these offices 27 straight years

2016Vice Mayor · San Francisco
2019Mayor · San Francisco
2022Mayor · San Francisco
2025Mayor · San Francisco

Representative, 1st District · Cotabato

Jesus SacdalanJoel Sacdalan

High risk · 5 pts

Swapped seatsSame-surname successorTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

●

’10

●

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+1Won another seat the next election: Mayor · Alamada
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Joel Sacdalan
+1Surname held this office 15 straight years

2013Representative, 1st District · Cotabato
2016Representative, 1st District · Cotabato
2019Mayor · Alamada
2022Mayor · Alamada
2025Mayor · Alamada

Vice Mayor ⇄ Mayor · Matalam, Cotabato

Oscar ValdeviesoCheryl Catamco

High risk · 5 pts

Seat exchangeTerm limit 2019

’01

●

’04

’07

’10

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+2Oscar Valdevieso and Cheryl Catamco traded Vice Mayor and Mayor in 2019
+1Both share the same surname
+2Surname held these offices 27 straight years

2013Mayor · Matalam
2016Vice Mayor · Matalam
2019Mayor · Matalam
2022Mayor · Matalam
2025Mayor · Matalam

Mayor · Talaingod, Davao del Norte

Basilio LibayaoOnit Libayao

High risk · 5 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

●

’10

●

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Onit Libayao
+2Surname held this office 27 straight years

2013Mayor · Talaingod
2016Mayor · Talaingod

Mayor · Sulat, Eastern Samar

Virginia ZacateJavier Zacate

High risk · 5 pts

Same-surname successorTerm limit 2019

’01

’04

’07

●

’10

●

’13

●

’16

’19

’22

’25

+1Reached the 3-term limit
+2Same-surname successor took the seat: Javier Zacate
+2Surname held this office 27 straight years

2013Mayor · Sulat
2016Mayor · Sulat

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 →