Pangasinan clan ruling town for 52 years

SAN MANUEL, Pangasinan , Philippines  – In the political history of Pangasinan, the Perez family here holds the distinction of ruling a town the longest time since 1934, or an unprecedented 52 years and still counting, with already the fourth generation mayor taking his oath of office tomorrow.

Mayor Salvador Perez will pass on his powers to his son, Vice Mayor Alain Jerico Perez, who won with the biggest margin of 6,000 votes ever posted in the local mayoralty fights here. 

The elder Perez who is turning 60, said based on his readings about prominent political families in Pangasinan, his family made history of assuming the mayoralty posts for four generations already, which totaled 52 years. 

He said others are up to third generation only so far. 

“But in our town, it’s as if the family didn’t lose the power from the time of my grandfather, it was continuous,” he said. 

Salvador’s grandfather, Don Primitivo, was mayor here from 1934 to 1940 then again in 1956 to1963. It was interrupted because of the war.

Don Primitivo’s son, Dr. Laureano, inherited the post and became mayor from 1964 to 1980 and again in 1981 to 1985. He did not finish his term as he died and by law on succession, his vice mayor, Hermoso de Leon took over the post.