Ben Madilynn
THE Garin family made their presence felt early in the upcoming 2025 elections as they officially filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for key positions in Iloilo’s First District on Saturday, October 5, 2025.
Former Health Secretary Janette Loreto-Garin, along with her daughter Rica Jane Garin, submitted their candidacies at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at Festive Mall, Mandurriao District, Iloilo City.
Janette Garin is running for Congress in the First District of Iloilo, while her daughter Rica Jane is seeking a seat on the Provincial Board.
Joining them in their efforts is incumbent Iloilo Provincial Board Member Jo-Ann Germinanda, who also filed her COC on the same day.
Earlier that day, Engineer Richard Garin Jr., a member of the Garin family and the former regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas, filed his COC in Miagao, Iloilo.
Nochete is running for vice mayor, with Richard serving as his mayor.
Richard, having filed his COC in Miagao, Iloilo, joined his wife Janette and daughter Rica Jane in Iloilo City for the filing process.
On the same day, in Iloilo’s Fourth District, two former police officers stepped forward to join the race for elective office.
Former police officer Charlie Sustento filed his COC to run for congressman, while another ex-police officer, Jonathan Pinuela, is aiming for a Provincial Board seat.
Both Sustento and Pinuela are positioning themselves as representatives of public safety and leadership experience, following their service in law enforcement.
According to records from the Comelec, as of October 5, 2024, a total of 364 candidates have submitted their COC for various elective positions across Iloilo, including two vice governors.
These include five candidates running for the Provincial Board and four others vying for seats in the House of Representatives across different legislative districts. Thirty-one candidates have declared their intent to run for mayor and 30 vice-mayor positions in the province.
The Sangguniang Bayan positions have also attracted significant interest, with 289 candidates filing their candidacies for council seats. In Iloilo City, two candidates have filed their COCs.
The 2025 election filing period ends on October 8, 2024, allowing more candidates to declare their intentions and complete their candidacy filings.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and his camp are filing their COCs on October 7, while the candidates for Iloilo City, including congresswoman, mayor, vice Mayor, and councilors, are filing on October 8. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)
