By John Sitchon
This story is republished with permission from Rappler as part of a content-sharing partnership for the 2025 Philippine elections.
CEBU, Philippines – The three provinces of Samar Island are seeing the continued legacy of longtime influential clans and their heirs, combining forces for their vision of “progress.”
Some of the honorable mentions of these families include the Tans of Samar, the Evardones of Eastern Samar, and the Ongchuans of Northern Samar.
While many of the political dynasties continue to strive in their respective legislative districts, about 1 in 5 families in the Eastern Visayas region had income that were below the poverty threshold, based on 2023 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The same PSA data showed that poverty incidence among families in Samar province was at 24.9%; Eastern Samar at 24.7%, and Northern Samar at 21.8% — much higher than that of Leyte (excluding Tacloban City) at 21.7%, Biliran at 8.5%, and Southern Leyte at 7.1%. This means that one out of four families in Samar and Eastern Samar are poor. In Northern Samar it is more than one in five families.
Rappler lists down some of the races to follow this campaign season in Samar Island.
Tans of Samar unopposed
The Tan political dynasty of Samar has held power in the province ever since the head matriarch, the late Milagrosa “Mila” Tan, sought a seat in the provincial board in 1998.
This year’s elections sees the heirs of the dynasty running unopposed from congressman in the 1st and 2nd districts to the vice governor.
Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan is seeking reelection after winning in 2022. She previously held the position from 2010 to 2019. Her uncle, Arnold Tan, is running as her vice governor — he is also seeking reelection.
The governor is carrying the banner of the Nacionalista Party (NP), headed by Manny Villar. The vice governor will be carrying the banner of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Sharee Ann’s brothers, Samar 1st District Representative Stephen James “Jimboy” Tan and Samar 2nd District Representative Reynolds Michael Tan are also running unopposed.
Stephen James is running under NP while Reynolds Michael is with Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas–CMD), headed by House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In Eastern Samar, Abunda challenges Evardones
Eastern Samar Provincial Board Member Ralph Vincent Evardone, the son of Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone is running to take his father’s seat and continue their legacy under the banner of PFP.
Their local party, “Solido para Progreso,” sees incumbent Eastern Samar Vice Governor Maricar Sison as Evardone’s running mate and former vice governor and two-time mayor of Guiuan town, Sheen Gonzales as their bet for representative of Eastern Samar’s lone district.
Gonzales is the son-in-law of House Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan.
While Evardone is challenged by term-limited Quinapondan Mayor Raffy Asebias, Eastern Samar Lone District Representative Marie Fe Abunda is making her move against Solido para Progreso with her own Team Abunda.
Abunda is seeking reelection, facing off Gonzales for the congressional seat. Her team does not have a gubernatorial bet but it has fielded businessman Neil Camenforte against Sison for the vice gubernatorial seat.
Independent candidate Arnold Azura is also joining the race for congressman of Eastern Samar.
Team Abunda is supporting the mayoral run of Inday Mejica, and her running mate for vice, Melody Lucido in the municipality of Arteche where Ben Evardone’s nephew, Arteche Mayor Roland Boie Evardone is running for vice mayor. Roland’s mother, Susan, is running for mayor.
Ongchuans switch seats in Northern Samar
Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan is switching seats with cousin, Northern Samar 2nd District Representative and former Laong mayor Harris Onchuan. Joining Harris is reelectionist vice governor Clarence Dato.
Edwin will be running for congressman, while Harris will run for the gubernatorial seat. Both of them are part of the Ong political dynasty which traces its roots back to the second female governor of Samar, Madeleine Ong who served from 1998 to 2001.
Madeleine is the sister-in-law of the late Northern Samar lawmaker Emil Ong, Edwin’s father and Harris’ uncle.
The Ongchuans are allied with the son of incumbent Northern Samar 1st District Representative Paul Ruiz Daza, Niko Raul, who is set to replace his father for the province’s 1st district congressional seat.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story misspelled Dato. This has been corrected.
The coalition of the Dato, the Ongchuans, and Daza families are running under the National Unity Party. Only Edwin is running under PFP.
They will be going up against the bets of Aksyon Demokratiko: former Northern Samar governor Harlin Abayon for governor, Samuel Picardal for vice governor, and Roselyn Capoquian, the wife of former Gamay mayor Rodolfo Capoquian, for Northern Samar 2nd district representative.
Independents joining the race are Independent gubernatorial candidate Essie Unay, 2nd district representative candidate Enrico Caballa, and 2nd district representative candidate Rod Del Valle, the son of former Northern Samar governor Ronie Del Valle. – Rappler.com
