Barangay chief Hisham Ismail wins Legazpi mayoralty, ends Rosal clan’s reign

ALBAY, Philippines – For the first time in nearly 25 years, Legazpi City has elected a mayor outside the Rosal family.

Barangay 18 Cabagñan Chairperson “Kap” Hisham Ismail of the Lakas-CMD party defeated Carmen Geraldine Rosal of PDP-Laban in the 2025 midterm local elections, ending the Rosal family’s grip on the city’s top post which has been uninterrupted since 2001.

Ismail, a registered nurse, obtained 68,090 votes, while Rosal got 61,943, winning by a small margin of 6,147 votes...