Migz Villafuerte reelected Camarines Sur 5th District rep

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The young Villafuerte defeats lone challenger, Philip Fortuno, a political neophyte and a former soldier

CAMARINES SUR, Philippines – Despite more than a decade in provincial office, 36-year-old Miguel Luis “Migz” Villafuerte is staying put in local politics.

Villafuerte, running under the National Unity Party (NUP), retained his post as Camarines Sur 5th District representative after a landslide win, garnering 208,083 votes (15.48% of registered voters) in the midterm elections, based on partial, unofficial results sourced from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Media Server with 79.74% of precincts reporting as of as of 12:01 am, May 13, Tuesday.

He defeated his lone challenger Philip Fortuno, a political neophyte and a former soldier, who received 57,505 votes (4.28% of registered voters). Fortuno ran under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). 

At 24 years old, Villafuerte was considered the youngest elected governor when he won in 2013. He defeated his own grandfather, the late Luis Villafuerte. 

Since then, Villafuerte has not let go of public office and went on to complete the maximum three consecutive terms as governor of Camarines Sur. 

In 2022, he ran as congressman in an unfamiliar battlefield — Camarines Sur 5th District — which had been dominated by the Alfelor dynasty. Villafuerte managed to defeat then-Iriga City mayor Madel Alfelor with a 51,908 margin. 

Villafuerte was confronted with controversy even when he was just starting as governor.

In 2014, the National Police Commission (Napolcom) removed his authority over the local police for refusing to cooperate in the investigation of the killing of four small-scale miners in Caramoan. 

Last year, he was seen riding a surfboard while distributing P500 bills to the residents of Camarines Sur who had been affected by Tropical Storm Kristine in October 2024. 

Photos and videos of the incident were bashed online, with some humorously calling the act as “boat buying.” 

Villafuerte comes from an entrenched dynasty that has been in Camarines Sur for more than 40 years. 

Camarines Sur’s 3rd District is the Villafuertes’ original bailiwick but in every election, the clan has been able to expand in all five districts of the province. – Rappler.com