Top 2025 races to follow in Mimaropa – Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan

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MIMAROPA is neither a traditional poll battleground nor a vote-rich region, but it is still home to some interesting electoral matchups in the coming midterms.

Some incumbent governors and lawmakers who have long held their posts will be challenged by opponents who have either the machinery or past wins on their belt, making some races potentially competitive.

It’s a region where environment and power supply issues take center stage during election season, and become a crucial talking point among poll aspirants.

Rappler lists down some of the races to follow this campaign season in Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.

Oriental Mindoro

Will the Dolors secure joint control of capitol?

Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor is running for reelection alongside his brother, vice gubernatorial candidate Hubbert Dolor. If they both win, the top two posts of the province will be held by people from the same family for the first time in Oriental Mindoro’s history.

Hoping to spoil their ambitions is Joanna Valencia, daughter of former three-term governor Rodolfo Valencia. It remains to be seen if she poses a serious threat to the incumbent governor, as the Valencias have lost their grip on power in the last decade, and are no longer as popular as they used to be. In fact, Joanna failed to win the congressional seat in the second district when she made her political debut in 2022.

Joanna, however, has the backing of some of the province’s political stalwarts — lawmakers Alfonso “PA” Umali and Arnan Panaligan, and former congressman Doy Leachon — which is just enough to keep Dolor, also a staple face of Oriental Mindoro politics, on his toes.

A rematch in Calapan as Leachon aims to bounce back from 2022 loss

Salvador “Doy” Leachon had been a two-term mayor of Calapan before seeking a higher post in Oriental Mindoro. After exhausting his three terms as a lawmaker, he unsuccessfully sought control of the provincial capitol in 2022.

Leachon, who at the peak of his career was a deputy speaker and among the closest allies of then-House speaker Lord Allan Velasco, now hopes to return to Calapan city hall, where his political career began.

He will try to dethrone reelectionist Mayor Marilou “Malou” Morillo. It’s not the first time for them to go head-to-head, as Leachon defeated Morillo in 2019 for the congressional seat in the first district.

Can a hometown hero end a dynasty in Oriental Mindoro’s second district?

Ejay Falcon, the Pola native who rose to fame after winning the second season of Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition in 2008, has become the local pride of the province. In his political debut in 2022, he unseated Oriental Mindoro’s incumbent vice governor.

Falcon now sets his sights on the province’s second district, which has been held by the Umali family since 2001. He will try to dethrone Alfonso “PA” Umali Jr., who is seeking his third and final term as congressman. Umali was a three-term governor of the province, and was best known nationally as the president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines during the administration of Benigno Aquino III.

Occidental Mindoro

Occidental Mindoro’s vice governor faces provincial board member race topnotcher

Occidental Mindoro Vice Governor Diana Tayag comfortably won her race in 2022, but her road to reelection in May is being obstructed by Antonio Jose “AJ” Rebong, her former colleague in the provincial council. Rebong, who topped the board member race in the first provincial district three years ago, has exhausted his three terms and is now hoping for a higher post in the capitol. The challenge for him will be to gain support in the southern part of the province, where his appeal has yet to be tested.

Four-way race in Occidental Mindoro’s capital

The race in Mamburao for the midterm elections is shaping up to be a fierce contest, now that Mayor Lyn Tria is term-limited. She hopes to pass the baton to her husband, Armand Tria, who is also the candidate backed by incumbent provincial officials.

His opponents, however, bring with them proven electoral experience. Mariano “Pa-Jun” Montales, the incumbent vice mayor, also wants to take the reins of municipal hall; retired police officer Edgardo “Engad” Ladao, who had topped the 2022 councilor race, is also in the running; and E-K Almero, an incumbent provincial board member, may be a formidable challenger.

Can Josephine Sato make a comeback?

Josephine Sato has been a veteran of Occidental Mindoro politics for nearly four decades. She led the capitol for a combined 18 years, and was congresswoman for another 12 years. But her bid to reclaim the governorship in 2022 resulted in a huge loss to the incumbent, Ed Gadiano.

For the midterms, Sato, known nationally as a Liberal Party stalwart, seeks a congressional comeback, hoping to to win in a head-to-head match against neophyte lawmaker Odie Tarriela.

Both Oriental and Occidental Mindoro have grappled with unstable power supply for decades, and the fact that the island is not connected to the national grid has resulted in steeper electricity rates for consumers. It’s an issue close to Mindoreños’ hearts, and something that is expected to be talking point among politicians in Oriental and Occidental Mindoro for the midterms.

Marinduque

A 3-way race in the province’s capital

The province-wide races in Marinduque are not exactly competitive, and the Velascos are expected to cruise to easy victories. Lord Allan Velasco is the incumbent lone district representative, while Presbitero is the incumbent governor, and as both have maxed out their three terms, they are seeking to swap seats in the midterms.

Perhaps the most interesting race in the province is in Boac, where Mayor Armi Carrion seeks to get elected for a third time. Her challengers include lawyer Dindo Hidalgo, and more notably, engineer James Dellosa, who lost to Carrion in their matchup in 2022. For the 2025 mayoral election, Dellosa has enlisted Theresa “Tet” Caballes, who topped the 2022 councilor race, to be his running-mate.

Romblon

Can Romblon governor secure a final term?

Jose “Otik” Riano, now seeking a final term as governor of Romblon, faces a challenge from Trina Firmalo-Fabic, the incumbent mayor of Odiongan town. The Firmalos are a powerful political family in the province, but Riano has already defeated the patriarch — former governor Eduardo “Lolong” Firmalo — in their 2022 matchup. For the midterms, it’s Lolong’s daughter who will try to slay the incumbent.

Palawan

In Puerto Princesa, it’s the four-term mayor versus the vice mayor

Puerto Princesa Vice Mayor Nancy Socrates, sibling of the incumbent governor of Palawan, wants to take control of Puerto Princesa’s city hall, but doing so means toppling her 2022 ally Lucilo “Cecil” Bayron, the mayor of the capital since 2013.

Bayron should have been term-limited in 2022, but was allowed to seek a fourth term after a dishonesty and grave misconduct case at the Ombudsman in 2017 resulted in his suspension and term interruption.

According to local media Palawan News, Socrates said she has a duty to join the mayoral race, as the incumbent has supposedly already exhausted his three terms.

In Palawan’s 3rd district, a three-way race to determine late Hagedorn’s successor

Palawan’s third congressional district, composed of Puerto Princesa and the town of Aborlan, is currently vacant, after the capital’s political stalwart Edward Hagedorn died while in office in 2023. His son Elroy John “Clink” Hagedorn hopes to succeed his father, but it’s a contest that also includes two former congressmen.

Gil Acosta was the representative of the district from 2019 to 2022, while former governor Abraham Mitra represented the second district — before Puerto Princesa and Aborlan separated — from 2001 to 2010. Mitra is in an alliance with Mayor Bayron for the midterms, while Acosta has pledged his support for Vice Mayor Socrates.

Two political families fight for control of Palawan capitol

Members of two political families will battle it out for Palawan’s top elective spot in May.

Long-time politician Dennis Socrates is seeking a second term as governor, but aiming to spoil his reelection is San Vicente Mayor Amy Alvarez, daughter of incumbent Palawan 2nd District Representative Jose Chavez Alvarez, a former three-term governor

Just like Romblon, Palawan has a strong community of environmentalists whom politicians cannot ignore. Candidates’ track record on protecting the province from mining interests is expected to be brought up in the campaign season. – Rappler.com

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