Birons Maintain Foothold in Iloilo’s 4th District Through Seat Swaps

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

(This story is part of a series of election reports examining political dynasties in Western Visayas.)

The Biron family has entrenched itself deeply in Iloilo’s 4th district, strategically maneuvering between congressional and local government positions to maintain its political dominance that spanned to nearly two decades.

It all started in 2004 when Hernan Biron Sr.’s eldest son, Ferjenel, entered the political scene as a representative of the district. A medical doctor by profession, Ferjenel held a seat in the House of Representatives until 2013, serving three consecutive terms.

His younger brother, Hernan Biron Jr., then inherited the congressional throne, serving only a single term from 2013 to 2016 and went for a pause in the game of politics until 2021.

Hernan Jr. made a comeback in 2022, this time in the local arena, where he has since served as vice mayor of Barotac Nuevo and currently seeking reelection in the upcoming May elections.

Meanwhile, the congressional seat returned to Ferjenel Biron, who served another term from 2016 to 2019 and again from 2022 to the present.

This year, Ferjenel is seeking another term, further cementing the family’s grip on the district.

He is going on a head-to-head battle with Charlie Sustento, a former police officer who was sacked from service due to grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer in 2014.

If Ferjenel wins against Charlie, the former will then be holding the district’s congressional seat for a cumulative of 18 years.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

The political legacy of the Birons did not stop with Ferjenel and Hernan Jr. The next generation quickly followed suit, with Ferjenel’s son, Braeden John, entering the political fray.

After his brief hiatus from the congressional seat in 2019, Braeden John, took over, serving a term in the 18th Congress from 2019 to 2022. At the time, Braeden was recognized as the youngest member of Congress.

Braeden first forayed into politics as the youngest mayor in Western Visayas, leading Barotac Nuevo from 2016 to 2019.

After his short stint in the House of Representatives, he pivoted to local governance, becoming the mayor of Dumangas in 2022, a post he now seeks to retain.

Another of Ferjenel’s sons, Bryant Paul, has also pursued political ambitions. He was elected as mayor of Barotac Nuevo in 2019 and is now vying for a third and final term.

LOWKEY PATRIARCH

Unlike other well-known political dynasties, where a patriarch or matriarch serves as the main political figure, Hernan Biron Sr. maintained a relatively low profile, holding only local positions in Barotac Nuevo.

While his sons and grandsons ascended to higher office, he quietly held local positions in Barotac Nuevo.

The family’s patriarch served as mayor of Barotac Nuevo for three consecutive terms from 2007 to 2016.

After his grandson, Bryant Paul, assumed the mayoral post for one term, Hernan Sr. stepped down but remained in politics, securing the vice mayor seat of the same town.

The Biron family remains firmly in control of the 4th district, now extending its influence into provincial politics by backing a neophyte political figure as a surprise tandem for Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., who is seeking his final term.

Ferjenel is considered to have played a key role in the vice gubernatorial bid of Lee Ann Debuque, the incumbent mayor of Anilao, a border town of Barotac Nuevo.

It was Ferjenel who raised Debuque’s hand during Defensor’s formal announcement of his election tandem at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol — a move that surprised many, as it overshadowed several big names, including former vice governor Raul Tupas, who was considered a frontrunner for the position.

On September 30, a day before the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy, Defensor administered Debuque’s oath as member of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, the governor and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s political party.