Leviste wins in historic landslide for Batangas 1st district representative

Leandro Legarda Leviste has won a historic landslide as Batangas 1st District Representative in the 2025 elections. Leviste was accompanied by his mother, Senator Loren Legarda, at his official proclamation as Congressman-elect this morning, May 13, at the Batangas Provincial Capitol.

Leviste secured 268,764 votes, or 75% of the total, defeating incumbent Eric Buhain, who received 91,588 votes. This marks the highest percentage won against any sitting member of Congress nationwide this election cycle and the most votes ever recorded in any congressional race in the history of Batangas.

Legarda Leviste’s win marks the first-ever electoral defeat of Eric Buhain, the husband of former Congresswoman Eileen Ermita-Buhain, whose family has held the position of Batangas 1st District Representative for 30 years. It is the first time since 1972 that the district has elected a representative outside the Ermita or Apacible families. Legarda Leviste defeated Buhain in all 8 municipalities and cities of the 1st District, which is comprised of Balayan, Calaca, Calatagan, Lemery, Lian, Nasugbu, Taal, and Tuy.

Campaigning on the message “Paunlarin Natin Ang Unang Distrito”, Legarda Leviste called for greater support from the national government for the development of Western Batangas. Legarda Leviste’s landslide victory is seen as a clear mandate for his platform to focus on education, healthcare, infrastructure, and job creation, with a goal of turning the 1st District into the most developed and prosperous district of Batangas.

At a press conference after his proclamation, Legarda Leviste said “I would like to thank those who encouraged me to run, supported our campaign, and believe in our platform. We will now work on our programs for education and infrastructure development, and hope this election has given people more hope for the future in the 1st District.”

Leviste, 32 years old, is the country’s youngest billionaire entrepreneur. Legarda Leviste decided to focus on public service in 2024 after selling Meralco a controlling stake in his company, Solar Philippines New Energy Corporation, for P34 billion.