Bohol’s Hottest 2025 Poll Races: Family Thrills and Chocolate Hills

By John Sitchon

This story is republished with permission from Rappler as part of a content-sharing partnership for the 2025 Philippine elections.

CEBU, Philippines – In the province of Bohol, political dynasties either pass on their legacies to their young ones or disappear into the peripheries forever.

From the Chattos and Yaps of the first congressional district to the Tutors and Toribios in the third district, many of the running candidates seeking top posts are running in tandem and seeking reelection.

Based on data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for this year’s polls, Bohol has more than 981,564 registered voters in the province alone and 74,277 in the City of Tagbilaran.

Rappler lists down some of the races to follow this campaign season in Bohol.

Aumentado-Besas tandem for province

Bohol Governor Erico Aris Aumentado is running for reelection under the banner of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the party of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr..

Recall that Aumentado was preventively suspended by the Office of Ombudsman in May 2024, for his involvement in the illegal construction of structures on the foot of Chocolate Hills. He was reinstated in July 2024 — the same month that vice governor and ally Dionisio Victor Balite passed.

This year, Aumentado is running with Bohol Provincial Board Member Nicanor “Nick” Besas, the father of Bohol 3rd District Representative Kristine Alexie Besas-Tutor.

Challenging the governor is former Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim and Hardy Leopando of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party. Besas is being challenged by Liberal Party (LP) bet Gerardo Garcia and independent candidate Santos Abella.

Chattos and Yaps in 1st District

For the 1st congressional district, incumbent Bohol Congressman Edgar Chatto is vying for a third consecutive term against former Tagbilaran City mayor John Geesnell Yap, who is Aumentado’s ally, Aksyon Demokratiko bet Jordan Pizarras, and independent candidate Marybelle de la Serna.

Yap’s wife, Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Cajes Yap, is running for reelection and is seeing a challenge from city councilor Malvin Misael Atoy Torralba. Tagbilaran City Vice Mayor Adam Relson Jala is getting a challenge from ex-vice mayor Jose Antonio Veloso.

Chatto’s wife, Balilihan Mayor Maria Pureza Veloso-Chatto, is now running for municipal councilor while their daughter and incumbent Vice Mayor Esther Patricia Chatto is running for the mayoral seat. Esther is going up against PFP bet Adonis Roy Olalo for the mayoral seat.

In Panglao, a popular tourist destination in Bohol, incumbent Mayor Edgardo Arcay and Vice Mayor Noel Hormachuelos are both competing against each other for the town’s mayorship.

Liberal Party bet Leonila Paredes Montero, independent candidate Alexis Ting, and People’s Reform Party mayoralty candidate Briccio Velasco are also joining the race for the Panglao mayorship

Family tandems in 2nd District

There are plenty of relatives of well-known families in the 2nd District that are seeking top posts for this year’s polls — some of them in tandems.

Bohol 2nd District Representative Maria Vanessa “Vanvan” Aumentado, the wife of the Bohol governor, is seeking reelection. Against her for the congressional seat is LP bet Modesto Membreve.

Jane Yap’s father, Trinidad Mayor Roberto Cajes, is also seeking reelection and is facing incumbent Vice Mayor Fernando Erio.

Getafe Mayor Cary Camacho and Vice Mayor Casey Shaun Camacho, both brothers, are seeking reelection unopposed.

In Ubay, husband-and-wife tandem Violeta Diangco-Reyes is running with Constantino Reyes for mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

In Inabanga, son-and-mother tandem Jono and Roygie Jumamoy are seeking reelection as mayor and vice mayor, respectively. Abante Bohol bets Dexter Ancla and Hermogenes Cenabre Jr. are challenging the Jumamoys.

Ancla and Jono are seeing competition from independent candidate Allan Jumamoy for the mayoral seat, while Roygie and Cenabre are contending with independents Ronnie Melicor Cenabre and Alger Millanes Jumamoy for the vice mayoral seat.

Tutors, Toribios and Balites in 3rd District

Bohol 3rd District Representative Kristine Alexie Besas-Tutor is going for a third and final consecutive term. She faces a challenge from LP bet Makdo Castañares.

Tutor’s husband, Candijay Vice Mayor Christopher Tutor, is seeking reelection with Candijay Mayor Thamar Olaivar. The mayor is running unopposed while the vice mayor is competing with independent candidate Edward Besinia.

Carmen Mayor Conchita Toribio delos Reyes is also running unopposed. Her brother Ricardo is also running unopposed for vice mayor of Carmen. Her twin sister, Angilita Toribio-Abundo, is vying for a seat on the provincial board.

In Valencia, incumbent mayor Dionisio Neil Balite, the brother of the late vice governor Dionisio Victor Balite, is seeking reelection together with Vice Mayor Aristotle Cometa.

They are up against the tandem of Ma. Katrina Lim and Mhie Flor Palaca for mayor and vice mayor, respectively. – Rappler.com