He is from the Villafuerte clan; his grandfather, Luis Villafuerte, was a congressman from 2004 to 2013 and former governor of the same province from 1988 to 1992 and from 1995 to 2004. His father is Luis Raymund Villafuerte, who served as a governor from 2004 to 2013, while his paternal grandmother, Nelly Favis Villafuerte, is a former member of the Monetary Board.
Political life
Villafuerte was elected Governor of Camarines Sur in 2013, defeating his grandfather Luis. At the age of 24, he is the youngest elected governor in Philippine history, surpassing Mark Lapid. Along with Jolo Revilla (then Vice-Governor of Cavite), Villafuerte is among the youngest politicians elected in the 2013 polls.[2] He was reelected to office in the 2016 and 2019 polls, while his father was likewise elected to Congress as Camarines Sur Representative. His grandfather, on the other hand, lost his Congressional bid during the 2016 and 2019 elections.
Controversies
In 2014, Villafuerte was accused of involvement in the murders of four residents in Barangay Gata, Caramoan. The National Police Commission suspended his control over the local police to ensure a fair investigation.[3]
On October 24, 2024, during the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Trami (Kristine), Villafuerte was seen distributing cash to flood victims in Camarines Sur from a boat, prompting mixed reactions from the public and media. He also denied reports of being in Siargao during the typhoon, stating that he has returned to the province by October 21, when Bicol Region was placed in Red Alert Status, a day before the massive flooding.[4][5] He said that he was in Siargao for a "tourism benchmarking" with the Sangguniang Kabataan officials of Camarines Sur from October 19 to 21.[6]
Personal life
In July 2021, Villafuerte married model and former beauty pageant titleholder Rachel Peters in a civil ceremony.[7][8] In October 2021, Peters gave birth to their first child.[9][10] Their second child, a boy, was born in July 2023.[11]