Lumad-Backed Bet Wins as Youngest Vice Governor in Cotabato

CARMEN, COTABATO —Twenty-seven-year-old Rochella Marie “Ella” Taliño Taray, chief operating officer (COO) of Kilambay Plantation Corporation (KPC) and a vice gubernatorial candidate strongly supported by several indigenous communities in North Cotabato, was declared the winner in the recently held 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE).

Taray was officially proclaimed by the Commission on Elections as the province’s vice-governor-elect on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, after winning against rival Efren Piñol.

Taray, who hailed from Carmen, is set to be the youngest vice governor in the history of Cotabato. 

Prior to her political career, Taray is known to be a champion of indigenous empowerment and environmental conservation through her work at KPC. Her giant bamboo project in Carmen, Cotabato generated over 500 jobs for the members of the Erumanen ne Menuvu tribe.

Through her environmental initiatives, which resulted in the protection of thousands of hectares of ancestral lands, Taray secured staunch support from the IPs, one of the key contributors to her historic win.

In a Facebook post, Taray thanked her supporters, friends, and family members who were also instrumental to her success, saying, “My heart is overflowing with gratitude! To the incredible people of Cotabato, thank you for placing your trust in me as your vice governor. This victory is not mine alone, it belongs to each and everyone of you who believed in our vision of Serbisyong may Puso at Talino.”

Further, her political tandem, incumbent Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza likewise won the election and will continue to serve as the Provincial Governor until 2028. PR