Iloilo City, province are ‘vote-rich’ areas in 2022

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Residents of Iloilo City and province should not be surprised with the influx of candidates running for national posts as they are courting up to 1.6 million votes for the 2022 national elections.

Data from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Provincial Election Office as of Nov 11, 2021, indicated that Iloilo province has 1,298,282 registered voters, while Iloilo City has 330,470 voters.

Both areas saw increases in the number of voters from the previous election cycle in 2019, with the province gaining 22,466 new voters, and the city gaining 8,986 voters.

Based on legislative districts, the 5th district of Iloilo province has the most number of registered voters (312,391), followed by the 3rd district (273,797), 4th district (261,174), 1st district (228,690), and the 2nd district (222,230).

These numbers are strategic to the top two presidential contenders in recent surveys, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo.

Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is scheduled to lead a grand rally on February 24 in Barotac Nuevo, a 4th district town with 38,358 registered voters.

Passi City, another 4th district area whose local executives already endorsed Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio, has the most number of voters in the province with 56,395.

Meanwhile, Robredo is reported to be holding two sorties in Iloilo on Feb 25, the first in Ajuy, a 5th district town with 35,248 voters; and the second in Pototan, a 3rd district town with 45,338 voters.

Robredo had already visited the 2nd district town of Leganes (25,332 votes) and the 3rd district town of Maasin (24,755) last December.

The vice president also has projects under her office’s flagship Angat Buhay program in the 1st district towns of San Joaquin (32,276), Oton (54,130), the 3rd district towns of Cabatuan (36,556) and Lambunao (40,788), the 4th district town of Anilao (19,175) and Dueñas (22,474), and the 5th district towns of Batad (15,490), Carles (48,727), and Concepcion (28,525).

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, who traced his roots to San Joaquin town, paid a visit to local government officials and attended a family reunion in the town last December.

Two senatoriables, former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and former presidential corruption czar Greco Belgica, trace their roots here, with the former attributing his mother’s roots to the city’s Jaro district, while the latter traces his father’s roots to Barotac Nuevo town.

Below is the full list of registered voters in the city and province of Iloilo, ranked by number of registered voters:

–       Iloilo City – 330,470

–       Passi City – 56,395

–       Oton – 54,130

–       Dumangas – 49,775

–       Carles – 48,727

–       Pototan – 45,338

–       Santa Barbara – 42,339

–       Calinog – 41,679

–       Miagao – 41,603

–       Janiuay – 41,545

–       Tigbauan – 41,216

–       Lambunao – 40,788

–       Pavia – 39,084

–       Barotac Nuevo – 38,358

–       Cabatuan – 36,656

–       Sara – 35,734

–       Ajuy – 35,248

–       Estancia – 34,798

–       Leon – 33,324

–       San Joaquin – 32,276

–       Barotac Viejo – 31,367

–       Concepcion – 28,525

–       Dingle – 28,253

–       San Dionisio – 25,819

–       Alimodian – 25,571

–       Leganes – 25,332

–       Maasin – 24,755

–       Guimbal – 24,008

–       San Enrique – 23,565

–       Banate – 23,179

–       Balasan – 22,797

–       Dueñas – 22,474

–       Lemery – 21,732

–       Igbaras – 20,685

–       San Miguel – 20,676

–       Anilao – 19,175

–       Zarraga – 18,852

–       Badiangan – 17,360

–       New Lucena – 17,052

–       Mina – 15,593

–       Batad – 15,490

–       Tubungan – 14,772

–       San Rafael – 12,154

–       Bingawan – 10,083

Based on the COMELEC’s overall data, Iloilo province, including Iloilo City, is the 8th most vote-rich province in the country.

Iloilo City, meanwhile, is the 15th most vote-rich city in the country.

Western Visayas region has 5,026,482 registered voters for the 2022 elections.