Iloilo’s 5 congressional districts remain under political clans

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Power didn’t change hands and stayed exactly where it’s been for years in Iloilo province. 

In all five congressional districts, political dynasties tightened their grip, turning a democratic exercise into a reaffirmation of old loyalties and family affairs. At the center of it all: rivalries within clans, recycled surnames on the ballots, and a political landscape where losing means just waiting for the next round.

In the 5th District, Provincial...