Centuries in the making: Singsons’ unrivaled power in Ilocos Sur

The Singson clan has maintained a strong political presence in Ilocos Sur for centuries, evolving from a merchant family during the Spanish colonial period to a dominant political dynasty. Despite facing allegations of corruption and political challenges, the Singsons have successfully retained control over various government positions, with multiple family members holding significant roles in local governance. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. The Singson clan’s rise to power was built over centuries of carefully planned moves that entrenched the family in politics. From the Spanish colonial period, where the family marks its origins, until today, the Singsons have controlled the province of Ilocos Sur. They trace their beginnings to the marriage of a Chinese merchant, Joaquin Ayco, and a local from Vigan named Rosa Songnio. It was during the 19th century that the family began its ascent to power through wealth. They held gobernadorcillo positions for five terms and their influence continued over the American and Japanese occupations. In 1945, the region turned to tobacco as a means of economic recovery, which boomed and led to the conflict between the Singsons and the Crisologo family, then closely intertwined — family patriarch, former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson is the nephew of then-congressman Floro Crisologo. Both families became fierce competitors over the tobacco trade. Floro was assassinated inside a church on October 18, 1970, and the case remains unsolved. The political leadership of the Crisologos ended a year later when the Singson brothers were elected — Chavit became governor and his elder brother Evaristo “Titong” II became Vigan mayor. The family won through Chavit’s promise of streamlining tobacco production. The clan’s power in the province remains unmatched despite alleged involvement in plunder and graft charges. Only a few have tried to defeat the Singsons and they ultimately failed. In May 2026, Chavit claimed that 5,500 flood control projects in the country were non-existent. This challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s announcement at his 2024 State of the Nation Address that 5,500 projects were completed nationwide. He was charged with a private cyber libel complaint in June but was granted bail. Afterwards, Chavit proclaimed during a press conference that he would not be stopped and doubled down on his exposé of the anomalous flood control corruption scandal. PATRIARCH. Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson holds a press conference on the flood control controversy on September 19, 2025. Photo by Errol Almario/Rappler No arrest, case, or political pressure will stop him from revealing the truth, he asserted. This is not uncharted territory for him. With his family’s decades-long grip on power, he knows exactly how to play the long game. An obese political dynasty The Singsons are one of the biggest and oldest political families. They hold numerous seats in the Ilocos Region. Research by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism revealed that in the 2025 elections, Chavit had 23 relatives running for office. Rappler’s research shows that 16 current officials are members of the Singson clan: Ronald Singson – 1st District Representative (Ilocos Sur) Richelle Singson Michael – Partylist Representative Jeremias “Jerry” Crisologo Singson – Governor (Ilocos Sur) Ryan Luis Singson – Vice Governor (Ilocos Sur) Ericson Singson – 2nd District Board Member (Ilocos Sur) Janina Medina-Fariñas – 1st District Board Member (Ilocos Sur) Fayinna Zaragoza – 2nd District Board Member (Ilocos Sur) Eric Singson – Mayor (City of Candon) Randolf “Randy” Singson – Mayor (City of Vigan) Goulart Germelina Singson – Mayor (Caoayan) Kristelle Gocho Singson – Vice Mayor (City of Candon) Juan Paolo Singson Ancheta – Vice Mayor (Caoayan) Evaristo “Bobit” Singson III – Councilor (City of Vigan) Jaime “Jimboy” Singson – Councilor (City of Candon) & Philippine Councilors League President – Ilocos Sur Chapter Luis Charles Singson – Councilor (Narvacan) Eric “Owen” Singson Jr. – Councilor (City of Candon) The Singson Dynasty A timeline mapping the notable rotation and overlap of local government positions held by the Singson family across three decades. Scroll or swipe right to see the dynasty’s full timeline. Tap or hover a bar for details, including family ties and each member’s years in power. Source: Comelec, public records Attempts to challenge the family have failed. In 2019, Chavit beat long-time rival Edgardo Zaragoza for mayor. In 2023, Chavit then filed graft charges against Zaragoza and his relatives over the alleged misuse of P81 million in tobacco excise tax funds. When Chavit backed out of his reelection bid for governor in 2013, his son, Ryan Luis, replaced him. He was challenged by former ally and aide of Chavit, Roque Verzosa Jr. Verzosa filed a case against Ryan Luis for vote-buying after he supposedly gave out at least P20,000 during a fiesta event. Yet the elections ended with the same result: the Singsons still dominated the region. FATHER-SON. Ryan Luis Singson with his father Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson in 2013. Photo courtesy of Ryan Luis Singson’s official facebook page In 2011, Ronald, Chavit’s other son, resigned as congressman after pleading guilty to drug trafficking in Hong Kong and was detained by authorities for 11 months. Ryan Luis, who was vice mayor of Vigan at the time, defeated Liberal Party candidate lawyer Beltrand Baterina in a special congressional election. Then-councilor Lourdes Baquiran replaced Ryan Luis for the vice mayoral seat after his win. The family also operates as a politicontractor. Their construction firm, Satrap Construction, secured P2.1 billion in infrastructure projects in Ilocos Sur from 2016 to 2025. They have ties, too, to DITO Telecommunity Corporation and entered the transportation sector to produce electric vehicles. Playing ‘chess’ The family’s power did not just rely on politics. It required money and carefully thought-out moves that favored them. When the Singsons took control of the region in the 1970s, the family divided power. Titong II replaced his brother Chavit as governor. Another brother of theirs, Jerry, became a councilor and eventually a provincial board member. Chavit’s niece, Eva Marie Singson-Medina, became a provincial board member in 1992 and Vigan mayor from 1995 to 2004. The patriarch’s son, Randolf, became councilor for multiple terms. The influence extended to their cousins, who won seats in other towns. Chavit also fulfilled his promise of passing Republic Act No. 7171, which mandates the allocation of excise tax on locally manufactured cigarettes for the benefit of local government units (LGUs) and tobacco farmers. This became a regular revenue for the region. But his biggest political move happened in 2000. Chavit’s friendship with then-president Erap Estrada fell apart after Estrada gave a gambling license to Chavit’s cousin and rival, Eric. In a press conference, Chavit exposed Estrada’s link to jueteng, accusing him of taking P130 million from the tobacco excise tax share of Ilocos Sur. This sparked a chain of events that culminated in Estrada’s ouster during EDSA II. In the 2010 elections, Chavit left the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats for the Nacionalista Party to endorse former senator Manny Villar. The clan was also careful with its political alliances. Though Chavit joined the Uniteam tandem before, he joined the September 21, 2025 protest and called on students to skip classes and go against the government. A group claiming to be former Marcos loyalists also pushed for a possible tandem between Vice President Sara Duterte and Chavit in the 2028 national elections. On September 6, Chavit was also seen arriving at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court at the time Duterte posted bail for three counts of grave threats. However, he said he was only there to allegedly check on the progress of his case and not support the Vice President. Switching sides and alliances through every election and political rift had just become second nature to the Singson family. And they have thrived. – Rappler.com