Four members of the Sagarbarria family formalized on Tuesday their bids for key elective positions in Negros Oriental for the May 2025 midterm elections.
Negros Oriental 2nd District Rep. Manuel “Chiquiting” Sagarbarria, Negros Oriental Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria, Dumaguete Vice Mayor Maria Isabel Longa-Sagarbarria, and Barangay Calindagan Kagawad Chessa Sagarbarria filed their certificates of candidacy at the Commission on Elections office here.
Congressman Sagarbarria (Nationalist People’s Coalition) is eyeing the mayoralty post of this capital City as he ends his third and last term next year.
Chiquiting served as mayor of Dumaguete until 2016, and was succeeded by incumbent Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo.
Dumaguete Vice Mayor Sagarbarria (Lakas-CMD), the Congressman’s wife, will now contest the 2nd Congressional District with Remollo.
Meanwhile, it will be the first electoral process for Gov. Chaco Sagarbarria who was elevated to the Capitol position by rule of succession.
He became governor after the death of Gov. Carlo Jorge Joan Reyes, who took over when Gov. Roel Degamo was assassinated on March 4, 2023.
Reyes died two months later due to a lingering illness.
Governor Sagarbarria, the top Board Member at the time, first became Reyes’ deputy.
Barangay Calindagan Kag. Chessa Sagarbarria (Lakas-CMD) is also eyeing a seat in the Dumaguete City Council.
Meanwhile, Pamplona Mayor Janice Vallega-Degamo, widow of the slain Roel Degamo, is eyeing the 3rd Congressional District (southern towns from Bacong to Basay).
Meanwhile, the Liberal Party in Negros Oriental is fielding newbies and returning political aspirants for the May 2025 midterm polls.
Last Monday, lawyer Felipe Claudio Remollo filed his COC to replace his father, the incumbent Dumaguete Mayor who is on his last term.
The younger Remollo, former chief of staff of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, is taking his first shot at an elective post.
His running mate is incumbent Councilor Karissa Faye Tolentino-Maxino, also a lawyer.
The incumbent Dumaguete Mayor, also LP chair in the Province, filed his COC for the 2nd Congressional District (from Dumaguete to Mabinay).
Incumbent Vice Gov. Jaime “Jake” Reyes likewise filed his COC for re-election (Independent).
Reyes became vice governor by succession, following the killing of Degamo (succeeded by his brother Carlo Jorge Joan who also eventually died, making Sagarbarria governor).
The Liberal Party is also fielding another newcomer, Janice Teves-Gaston, for the 3rd Congressional District.
She is an aunt of former Cong. Pryde Henry Teves and of ousted Arnolfo Teves Jr., who was arrested in Timor Leste in March this year for multiple criminal cases, including Degamo’s killing. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
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Photo Caption: 3rd Dist. Congressional candidate Janice Degamo, Gov. Chaco Sagarbarria, Vice Gubernatorial candidate Fritz Diaz and 2nd Dist. Congressional candidate Maisa Sagarbarria raise their hands after filing their Certificates of Candidacy Tuesday. (Contributed photo)
