2019 Naga, Camarines Sur, local elections
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Local elections were held in Naga, Camarines Sur, on May 13, 2019, as part of the 2019 Philippine general election. The voters elected a mayor, vice mayor, ten members of the Naga City Council, and a representative for the 3rd District of Camarines Sur.
Incumbent Vice Mayor Nelson Legacion of the Liberal Party, running under Team Naga, was elected mayor, succeeding term-limited John Bongat. Cecilia V. de Asis, the city councilor and former acting vice mayor, won the vice mayoralty. Both won by a wide margin over their independent opponents.
The Liberal Party retained its dominance in the city council, winning most of the available seats.
Background
In 2016, the Liberal Party secured the mayoralty, vice mayoralty, and all seats in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) of Naga City, led by then-vice mayor John Bongat, who was term-limited and succeeded by his vice mayor Nelson Legacion as the party's mayoral bet.[1]
The 2019 elections were held during the midterm of President Rodrigo Duterte, whose administration was backed by a supermajority coalition nationally. In contrast, Naga remained a Liberal Party stronghold, associated with the legacy of the late Jesse Robredo, former city mayor and interior secretary, and his wife, then-Vice President Leni Robredo.
The party maintained local dominance in 2019 with Legacion winning the mayoralty and incumbent Vice Mayor Cecilia V. de Asis securing reelection. The elections reflected the city’s continued support for the Liberal Party despite the broader national shift toward Duterte-aligned candidates.
Tickets
Names italicized are those of candidates seeking re-election.
Administration coalition
| Position | # | Candidate | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | 1. | Nelson Legacion | Liberal | |
| Vice Mayor | 1. | Cecilia V. de Asis | Liberal | |
| Councilor | 1. | Gregorio R. Abonal | Liberal | |
| 2. | Mila Sd. Raquid-Arroyo | Liberal | ||
| 3. | Elmer S. Baldemoro | Liberal | ||
| 4. | Vidal P. Castillo | Liberal | ||
| 5. | Salvador M. Del Castillo | Liberal | ||
| 6. | Joselito SA. Del Rosario | Liberal | ||
| 7. | Julian C. Lavadia Jr. | Liberal | ||
| 8. | Jose B. Perez | Liberal | ||
| 9. | Jose C. Rañola, M.D. | Liberal | ||
| 10. | Ghiel G. Rosales | Liberal | ||
Mayoral election
The 2019 Naga City mayoral election was held on May 13, 2019, as part of the 2019 Philippine general elections. Incumbent Mayor John Bongat was term-limited and did not seek re-election. Then Vice Mayor Nelson Legacion ran for mayor under the Liberal Party and won a decisive victory.
Legacion defeated several independent candidates, most notably Fortunato "Tato" Mendoza, a former city councilor, and Luis Ortega. He began his first term as mayor following the election.
Candidates
Declared
- Nelson Legacion (Liberal), Vice Mayor of Naga
- Fortunato "Tato" Mendoza (Independent)
- Luis Ortega (PDDS), former city hall employee
Results
Nelson Legacion won with over 47% of the vote, defeating Mendoza and Ortega by a wide margin.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson Legacion | Liberal | 41,591 | 54.65 | |
| Fortunato "Tato" Mendoza | Independent | 33,707 | 44.29 | |
| Luis Ortega | PDDS | 801 | 1.05 | |
| Total | 76,099 | 100.00 | ||
| Liberal hold | ||||
| Source: Commission on Elections | ||||
Vice mayoral election
Candidates
Declared
- Cecilia V. de Asis (Liberal), incumbent city councilor
- Lito Miranda (Independent)
- Lex Riva (Independent)
Results
De Asis secured the vice mayoralty with a lead of over 51,000 votes, marking a continuation of the Liberal Party’s local dominance in Naga.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cecilia V. de Asis | Liberal | 59,461 | 87.13 | |
| Lito Miranda | Independent | 8,114 | 11.89 | |
| Lex Riva | Independent | 666 | 0.98 | |
| Total | 68,241 | 100.00 | ||
| Liberal hold | ||||
| Source: Commission on Elections | ||||
City Council election
The Naga City Council is composed of 12 councillors, 10 of whom are elected.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oying Rosales | Liberal Party | 41,362 | 42.58 | |
| Lito del Rosario | Liberal Party | 40,495 | 41.69 | |
| Greg Abonal | Liberal Party | 38,058 | 39.18 | |
| Miles Raquid Arroyo | Liberal Party | 37,661 | 38.77 | |
| Elmer Baldemoro | Liberal Party | 37,502 | 38.61 | |
| Vidal Castillo | Liberal Party | 36,664 | 37.74 | |
| Badong del Castillo | Liberal Party | 36,611 | 37.69 | |
| Sonny Ranola | Liberal Party | 36,289 | 37.36 | |
| Joeper Perez | Liberal Party | 35,178 | 36.21 | |
| Doc-Jess Albeus | Independent | 34,945 | 35.97 | |
| Nathan Sergio | Independent | 31,592 | 32.52 | |
| Jun Lavadia | Liberal Party | 31,268 | 32.19 | |
| Badette Roco | Independent | 27,208 | 28.01 | |
| Allan Reiz Macaraig | Independent | 23,953 | 24.66 | |
| Seling Tuason | Independent | 22,908 | 23.58 | |
| Eduardo Gregorio | Independent | 7,970 | 8.20 | |
| Allan San Juan | Independent | 7,057 | 7.26 | |
| Manny Morano | Independent | 5,036 | 5.18 | |
| July Catimbang | Independent | 4,133 | 4.25 | |
| Mulo San Ramon | Independent | 4,115 | 4.24 | |
| Ricardo Mariano | Independent | 3,732 | 3.84 | |
| Mulo Portes | Independent | 2,960 | 3.05 | |
| Total | 546,697 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | – | |||
| Source: Commission on Elections | ||||
See also
- 2019 Philippine general election
- Politics of Naga, Camarines Sur
References
- ^ "Legacion succeeds Bongat in Naga City mayoralty race". Bicol Mail. May 16, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
- ^ Sampang, Dianne (April 15, 2019). "Team Naga candidates for 2019 local elections". Example News. Retrieved May 24, 2025.