Tupas Clan Holds Iloilo’s 5th District for 38 Years

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

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

The Tupas family has held political dominance in Iloilo’s 5th district for nearly four decades, securing the congressional seat for 38 years. This long-standing control is set to continue as two family members face off for the same seat in the 2025 midterm elections.

Niel “Junjun” Tupas Jr. tries his luck again as representative of the 5th district. He previously held the seat for three terms, from 2007 to 2016.

His bid signals a head-to-head battle with his sister-in-law, 5th District Board Member Binky Tupas, who is the wife of his younger brother, Raul.

Binky, a one-term 5th district provincial board member, seeks a post in the Congress after her term-limit-restricted husband filed his candidacy for vice governor.

“Anyone can run and anyone can bring the name Tupas but there is only one true-blooded Tupas that will run in the Congress and that is me […] We are very confident of victory in this election,” he said.

Niel added he wanted to bring back “good governance”, a legacy he attributes to his late father.

Binky, on the other hand, is campaigning for the continuation of her husband’s projects, emphasizing that he will also bring a God and people-centered governance.

As an architect by profession, she vowed to push for legislation that would maximize the tourism potential of the 5th district.

“This will develop our agri-tourism and by focusing on this we can give employment to our constituents,” she added.

Tupas dynasty: A political stronghold since 1987

The Tupas family’s political dominance in the 5th district began with its patriarch, Niel Tupas Sr., was first elected in 1987 during the 8th Congress under the administration of the late president Corazon Aquino.

The 8th Congress, under the 1987 Constitution, is the first congress after the People Power Revolution of 1986, which overthrew the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

After serving an unprecedented five years, he was reelected for two terms from 1992 to 1998 under late president Fidel Ramos — bringing his tenure as 5th district’s congressman to 11 years.

But prior to being elected as congressman, he was an assemblyman of the Batasang Pambansa for Region 6 from 1978 to 1984 under the Marcos dictatorship.

The reign of the Tupas family in the 5th district came to a halt after the patriarch ran for governor of Iloilo, securing the seat from 2001 to 2010.

His children, however, did not seek congressional seats immediately when he ran for the province’s highest post. Instead, it was temporarily handed over to his nephew, Rolex Suplico, who served three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2007.

Upon Suplico’s exit, Niel Tupas Jr., the eldest son, stepped in and served his three terms until 2016. Notably, in the 2010 elections, Suplico ran against Niel where the former lost by a small margin.

The cracks in the Tupas family further widened when the family’s patriarch in 2015, died of multiple organ failure, after battling prostate cancer.

This led to a split within the family, which played out in the elections. In the 2016 elections, Niel Jr.’s wife ran for Congress against Raul, with the latter securing a decisive victory. Raul was then an outgoing vice governor for just one term from 2013 to 2016.

Fast forward to the 2019 and 2022 elections, Niel and Raul competed for the same congressional seat, with the elder Tupas losing on both occasions. The win sealed Raul a three-year term.

For the 2025 elections, the two brothers seemed to have patched up their strained relationship as Neil expressed support for Raul’s vice gubernatorial bid.

“What runs in my blood is Tupas. It’s been so long that I never voted for my brother because he is running against me. For the first time, he is running for a different position […] This is no longer politics — my vote will be for Raul,” he said after he filed his candidacy.

But five months after, Niel turned against his statement as he endorsed the candidacy of Nathalie Ann “Lee Ann” Debuque for vice governor at the Tupas ancestral home in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo on February 12.

Debuque is the tandem of Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. as he seeks his last term. The move to endorse the newbie politician was a decision of his political party, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.

Raul, who claimed he was side-swiped by Defensor Jr., is confident of a return to the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.

“We have a wealth of experience and we have gone through the process as a public official,” he said.

In 2013, Raul ran as vice governor under former Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr.’s ticket, the father of the incumbent governor.

All Tupas sons seek post 

In the 2025 midterm elections, aside from Niel and Raul, three of Tupas sons are seeking positions in provincial and local government.

Niel III and Nieleto are both running for 5th district provincial board member, while Nielo is seeking a final term as mayor of Barotac Viejo, a position he has held since 2019. Their cousin, Rolex, is also running for a seat on the provincial board.

Iloilo’s 5th district is composed of 11 towns: Barotac Viejo, San Rafael, Lemery, Ajuy, Sara, Estancia, Balasan, San Dionisio, Batad, Concepcion, and Carles.

It has 313,868 registered voters, the highest in Iloilo province, according to the Commission on Elections.

With the entire Tupas clan fielding candidates across different positions, the 2025 elections will serve as a critical test of the family’s enduring political influence in Iloilo.