The Governor of Bohol () is the local chief executive of the provincial government of Bohol, Philippines. The governor holds office at the Bohol New Provincial Capitol in Tagbilaran City and its official residence is at the Governor's Mansion located along Carlos P. Garcia Avenue in Cogon District, also in Tagbilaran. Like all local government heads in the Philippines, the governor is elected via popular vote, and may not be elected for a fourth consecutive term (although the former governor may return to office after an interval of one term). In case of death, resignation or incapacity, the vice governor becomes the governor. Along with the governor of Cebu, city mayors of Cebu, Lapu-lapu, and Mandaue, the province's chief executive is a member of the Regional Development Council of the Central Visayas Region.
List of governors of Bohol Governors of Bohol 1. SPANISH PERIOD (from 1854 – 1898) Name Term Note Guillermo Kirkpatrick March 3, 1854 – March 3, 1857 First Governor of Bohol (together with Siquijor) when it became a separate politico-military province from Cebu on March 3, 1854 through a signed decree of Governor-General Manuel Pavía. He is a former Captain of the Corps of Engineers, who mapped Bohol and Siquijor and constructed many roads and stone bridges from Guindulman-Tagbilaran-Inabanga, including the old Capitol Building (now Bohol National Museum) while imposing 40-day-Polo y servicio. In 1855, to prevent constant emigration of Boholanos, and to gather enough men for Polo y Servicio, he imposed a lockdown, requiring potential emigrants to obtain passports which is only renewable every year. Boholanos caught without a passport in other provinces were put into prison. A complaint was sent (apocryphally by Doña Martinez (?), a nanny of the queen and the great-grandmother of Teodorico Ramasola of Maribojoc), to Queen Isabella II, who then appointed Bernardo Salvador, a lawyer as Lieutenant Governor of the province. As a consequence, the governor requires to report and seek approvals from the Lt. Governor for any of his decisions. Spanish officials cannot dismiss Salvador since he was a direct appointee of the queen. With no real executive power, he resigned as a result of political pressures. Juan Garcia y Navarro March 4, 1857 – March 10, 1859 Also a former Captain of Corps of Engineers. He was appointed after Kirkpatrick's resignation, who faced similar difficulty with no political power with the seating Lt. Governor-in-charge. In 1857, the whole Visayas was reorganized under a Regional District Governor, opting Salvador to return to Department of Finance, since he wasn't a military man. Anastacio de Hoyos y Zendegui March 10, 1859 – 1860 Lt. Governor-in-Charge, as Garcia relieved his post. Juan Garcia y Navarro 1860 – 1862 Officially no longer a governor but empowered to act for matters he started as governor. Jose Diaz y Quintana 1863 Bohol was again administered by Cebu. He was then the Politico-Military Governor of Cebu. Francisco Herrera Davila 1864 He came to wind up the papers of Bohol. Regional district governor of the Visayas. Antonio Martinez de Espinosay San Juan October 1, 1864– 1871 Bohol was again became fully independent from Cebu on July 22, 1864 Santiago Ibañez y Comez1868 - August 30, 1869 Wrongly assigned as Alcaldía mayor of Bohol. However, Bohol is not an Alcadia but rather a politico-military province. He died while in office caused by an accident. Pablo Diaz Lomelino 1871 – 1874 Manuel Bengoechea y Tapia 1874 – 1876 Joaquin Bengoechea y Tapia 1877 – 1878 Adolfo Martin de Baños y Paz September 1878 – 1881 First term. In 1880, Boholanos petition him to remain at the capitol. Juan Franco Gonzalez 1881 – 1884 Luis Martinez Alcobendas 1884 - 1885 Francisco Augusto Linares y Pombo February 1885 – December 10, 1889 Adolfo Martin de Baños y PazDecember 11, 1889 – 1892 On his second term Eustasio Gonzalez Liquiñano 1892 – 1894 Jurisdiction on Siqujor was transferred to Negros Oriental. Francisco Ortiz Aguado 1894 – November 5, 1895 Adolfo Ascencion Gonzalez November 5, 1895 – May 22, 1897 Eduardo Moreno Esteller May 22, 1897 – December 20, 1898 With a rank of Lieutenant Colonel, the last Spanish Governor of Bohol
2. REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNOR (1899-1900) Image Name Term Origin Note(s)1 Bernabe Fortich ReyesJanuary 16, 1899 – December 1901 Cavite, later settled in DauisFormer Alcalde de Ayuntamiento (Board Member) of Cebu, assigned as temporary governor by president Emilio Aguinaldo on January 16, 1899 with Eduardo Calceta as army chief. First elected governor on February 1899 and non-native. Elected president of short-lived Bohol Republic on June 11, 1899.
3. AMERICAN PERIOD (1901-1907) Image Name Term Origin Note(s)2Aniceto Velez ClarinMarch 15, 1901 –February 20, 1904Loay first civil governor, appointed for being non-revolutionary. Revolutionary government of Bohol was still under governor Reyes. Former Juez de Paz of Loay and presidente municipal of Tagbilaran.3 Salustiano Mangaya-ay Borja March 15, 1904 –February 28, 1907 Tagbilaranfirst elected civil governor. Former presidente municipal of Tagbilaran. 4. PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE (1907-1937) Image Name Term Origin Note(s)4 Macario F. Sarmiento March 1, 1907 – December 31, 1909 Tagbilaran Elected. Former presidente municipal of Tagbilaran.5Fernando G. RochaJanuary 16, 1910 – October 15, 1916 Tagbilaran Elected twice6 Eutiquio Boyles October 16, 1916 – October 15, 1919 Ubay Elected. Former Presidente Municipal of Ubay and congressman of Bohol's third district.7Juan Sarmiento TorralbaOctober 16, 1919 – October 15, 1925 Tagbilaran Elected twice. Later elected as Senator from 1931-1935.8Filomeno CaseñasOctober 16, 1925 – October 1, 1931 Jagna Elected twice—Jose Orbeta CaseñasOctober 1 - 15, 1931 Jagna OIC governor. Former mayor of Jagna and younger brother of Filomeno Caseñas.9Celestino Barel GallaresOctober 16, 1931 – October 15, 1934Tagbilaran Elected 10Carlos Polestico GarciaOctober 16, 1934 – December 31, 1937 Talibon Elected 5. COMMONWEALTH PERIOD (1938-1946) Image Name Term Origin Note(s)—Carlos Polestico GarciaJanuary 1, 1938 –August 29, 1941TalibonRe-elected, later became the 8th President of the Philippines in 195711 Agapito Yap Hontanosas August 29, 1941 – July 9, 1942 Dauisformer board member and succeeded Garcia, when the latter run for senate. July 9, 1942 - May 20, 1945 appointed governor during Japanese occupation with the seat of government in Tagbilaran.12 Conrado D. Marapao May 22, 1942 –May 31, 1946 Loay former board member and appointed Governor of the Free Local Civil Government by President Manuel L. Quezon, with the seat of government in Carmen. 6. THIRD PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1946-1978) Image Name Term Origin Note(s)13 Perfecto Bastes Balili June 1, 1946 –December 31, 1947 Loboc Appointed by President Manuel A. Roxas.14 Jacinto Castel Borja January 1, 1948 –December 31, 1951 Tagbilaran Elected. Former ambassador, the first and only Boholano to serve as Philippine envoy to the United Nations.15Juan Cuarto Pajo January 1, 1952 – December 31, 1955Valencia ElectedJanuary 1, 1956 – January 15, 1958 Re-elected but later appointed executive secretary of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia— Timoteo Butalid January 16 - 31 , 1958Tagbilaran OIC, incumbent senior board member. Later became the first elected civil vice-governor of the province.16Esteban Bernido February 1, 1958 – December 31, 1959 Guindulman WWII veteran and former congressman. Appointed by Pres. Carlos P. GarciaJanuary 1, 1960 – December 31, 1961 ElectedJanuary 1, 1962 – December 31, 1965 Re-electedJanuary 1, 1966 – June 7, 1967 Re-elected / Resigned - appointed PHHC manager under Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Sr.17Lino Ibarra Chatto June 8, 1967 –December 31, 1967 BalilihanOIC, incumbent vice-governorJanuary 1, 1968 – December 31, 1971 ElectedJanuary 1, 1972 – March 3, 1978 Re-elected, became the longest-serving governor (11 years)— David Belarmino Tirol March 4 - 27, 1978Tagbilaran OIC, incumbent vice-governor —Esteban Bernido March 28 – October 12, 1978 Guindulman Appointed by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Sr., on his 5th term and the first to serve under 3 presidents.
7. FOURTH PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1978-1986) Image Name Term Origin Note(s)18Rolando Gatal Butalid October 13, 1978 – December 31, 1980 Tagbilaran Former mayor of Tagbilaran. Appointed by Pres. Marcos Sr.January 1, 1981 –March 15, 1986 Elected
8. FIFTH PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1986–present) Image Name Term Origin Note(s)19 Victor L. dela Serna March 16, 1986 – October 7, 1987 Calape OIC, appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino. Bohol's first bar top-notcher (1965 Philippine Bar Examination)— Maximino L. Boiser Jr.October 7 - 26, 1987Talibon OIC, incumbent vice-governor (acting). 20Constancio Chatto Torralba October 17 – December 1, 1987 Cortes OIC, former undersecretary of DPWH under Pres. Corazon C. Aquino.21 Asterio V. Akiatan December 1, 1987 –February 1, 1988 Dimiao OIC, former mayor of Dimiao— Constancio Chatto Torralba February 2, 1988 –June 30, 1992 Cortes Elected22 David Belarmino Tirol June 30, 1992 –June 30, 1995 TagbilaranElected 23Rene Lopez Relampagos June 30, 1995 –June 30, 2001Loon Elected twice 24Erico Boyles Aumentado June 30, 2001 –June 30, 2010 Ubayfirst governor to be elected and completed 3 consecutive terms 25 Edgardo Migriño Chatto June 30, 2010 –June 30, 2019BalilihanElected in 3 consecutive terms. 26Arthur Cua Yap June 30, 2019 –June 30, 2022Manila, resident of Lobocsecond non-native governor to be elected"Philippines, Manila, Civil Registration, 1899-1984," database with images, FamilySearch (11 November 2017), Arthur Cua Yap, 10 Nov 1965; Birth, 10 Nov 1965, City of Manila Civil Registrar, Philippines; FHL microfilm 1,682,048. 27 Erico Aristotle Cabagnot Aumentado June 30, 2022 – May 28, 2024 Ubay Suspended from May 28-July 31, 2024 amid the Chocolate Hills resort controversy.— Dionisio Victor Ancog Balite May 28, 2024 – July 17, 2024 Valencia Incumbent vice governor. Acting governor for the duration of Aumentado's suspension. Died while in office.— Tita Virtudazo Baja July 18 - 31, 2024 Garcia Hernandez Incumbent board member. Succeeded vice-governor Balite. Acting governor until Aumentado's reinstatement on July 31, 2024. — Erico Aristotle Cabagnot Aumentado July 31, 2024 - June 30, 2025 Ubay Reinstated on July 31, 2024 by the Ombudsman. June 30, 2025 - present Reelected.
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