Duke Frasco

The Honorable
Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco
The Honorable Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco
	Official portrait, 2025
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
	In office; July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028
House Speaker	Martin Romualdez
Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines for Cebu's 5th congressional district
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; June 30, 2019
Preceded by	Ramon Durano VI
Constituency	Cebu's 5th district
Mayor of Liloan, Cebu
	In office; June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2016
Preceded by	Maria Sevilla
Succeeded by	Christina Frasco
Personal details
Born	Vincent Franco Domingo Franco; October 27, 1980 (age 44); Cebu City, Philippines
Political party	Independent (2007–2009; 2025–present); One Cebu (local party)
Other political; affiliations	NUP (2021–2025); Lakas–CMD (2018–2021); UNA (2012–2016); Liberal (2009–2012)
Spouse	Christina Garcia (m. 2009)
Children	4
Alma mater	Loyola Marymount University (BS)
Occupation	Politician

Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco is a Filipino public servant and current three-term Congressman representing Cebu’s 5th District. ¹

Known for his grassroots development work and legislative advocacy in health, education, and infrastructure, Frasco has served in various public roles, including Mayor and Vice Mayor of Liloan and Commissioner of the Cebu Port Authority. ²

Early life and education

Frasco was born in Cebu and spent much of his early life in the United States, where he moved at the age of six. He graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with dual degrees: Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Finance and Business Law, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He worked as an internal auditor at Protiviti, a global consulting firm, with assignments across the U.S. and London before returning to the Philippines in 2006 to pursue public service.

Local Governance Career

Mayor of Liloan (2007–2016)

Frasco first entered politics following the death of his father, Mayor Panphil Frasco. Elected at age 26, he became one of the youngest mayors in the Philippines. During his three terms, he transformed Liloan from a third-class to a first-class municipality by increasing local revenue by over 600% through tax reform and modernization of government processes.

Key achievements under his leadership included:

• Construction of a ₱60 million public market, schools, roads, evacuation centers, and barangay infrastructure.

• Launch of a scholarship program that supported over 6,000 students.

• Creation of health centers and a 24/7 community medical and emergency services center.

• Environmental initiatives such as the “Adopt-a-Mountain” tree planting program.

• Introduction of Liloan’s official municipal website for transparency and citizen access to services.

In 2014, Frasco was conferred the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award in the field of Public Administration by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Philippines. He was recognized for his transformative leadership as mayor of Liloan, where he implemented reforms in governance, expanded access to public education and healthcare, and led infrastructure development that elevated the municipality from third-class to first-class status. The award cited his commitment to transparent, citizen-centered governance and his efforts to empower local communities through participatory development programs. ³

Vice Mayor and Cebu Ports Authority

In 2016, Frasco served briefly as Vice Mayor before being appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as Commissioner of the Cebu Port Authority. In this role, he oversaw major port infrastructure upgrades, including the groundbreaking of a ₱1 billion port in Liloan through a public-private partnership aimed at reducing congestion in Metro Cebu. ⁴

Congressional Career

First Term (2019–2022)

In 2019, Frasco won a landmark election victory over the Durano political clan that had ruled the district for 70 years. ⁵

He campaigned on a platform of “paglaum ug pagbag-o” (hope and change), emphasizing education, livelihood, and public health.

In his first term:

• Authored and passed Republic Act No. 11654, which converted the Liloan National High School–Poblacion Annex into an independent school. ⁶

• Chaired the House Committee on Visayas Development.

• Served as Vice Chairperson of the Committees on Appropriations, Government Enterprises, and Sustainable Development Goals.

• Filed House Bill No. 102 (the “Affordable Funeral Service Act”) to cap funeral expenses at ₱20,000 to assist indigent Filipino families. ⁷

Second Term and Deputy Speakership (2022–2025)

Frasco was reelected in 2022 with over 217,000 votes. He was elected Deputy Speaker in the 19th Congress, becoming one of only nine lawmakers to hold this leadership post. ⁸

Key accomplishments during this term include:

• Sponsoring Republic Act No. 11751, establishing Cebu Technological University campuses in Liloan and Borbon. ⁹

• Spearheading the ₱265 million Camotes Airport project. ¹⁰

• Facilitating the construction of 80 roads, 64 covered courts, and 17 barangay halls across the 5th District.

• Turning over ₱23 million in aid to hospitals for indigent patients. ¹¹

20th Congress (2025-present)

In the 2025 elections, Frasco secured his third consecutive term as Representative of Cebu’s 5th District with an emphatic victory over independent challenger Jun Durano. Running under the Lakas–CMD party, Frasco garnered over 217,000 votes. This followed his 2022 performance where he received over 222,000 votes. His campaign emphasized continuity of infrastructure projects, improved health services, and expanded access to education. Following his reelection, Frasco expressed gratitude to his constituents, stating that the strong mandate was a “resounding affirmation” of his administration’s grassroots development initiatives and vision for the district’s progress. ¹²

Controversies

In June 2025, Frasco was among a minority of lawmakers who declined to sign a congressional manifesto expressing support for House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Frasco stated that his decision was based on a call for unity and a desire to maintain an independent legislature. The move was interpreted by some as signaling quiet dissent within the House majority coalition. ¹³ Amid speculations that he was positioning himself for the speakership, Frasco publicly clarified that he was not seeking the post, emphasizing that his focus remained on serving his constituents in Cebu’s 5th District.

Earlier that year, Frasco voted in favor of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, a decision that drew national attention and polarized public opinion. Following the vote, on March 19, 2025, he filed a criminal complaint for cyber libel against veteran journalist Rigoberto Tiglao, who had publicly accused Frasco of being “bribed” to support the impeachment. Frasco denied the allegation, stating that it was false and had “tarnished [his] reputation as Deputy Speaker in Congress.” ¹⁴

Personal life

Frasco is married to Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco, daughter of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. ¹⁵ They have four children. ¹⁶ An endurance athlete, Frasco has completed the New York and Chicago Marathons and the Ironman 70.3 in Cebu.

Legacy and Vision

Frasco is known for a leadership style characterized by administrative competence and strong community engagement. His long-term development agenda focuses on transforming Cebu’s 5th District into a leading hub in the province through strategic investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He has consistently emphasized inclusive growth by attracting local investment and generating employment opportunities at the grassroots level.

Frasco is regarded as a staunch supporter of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as reflected in his participation in key national and international engagements. In June 2025, he joined President Marcos during the latter’s visit to the Philippine Pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. The legislator underscored the importance of promoting Filipino culture and innovation on the global stage and an opportunity to help forge international partnerships that could benefit both the country and his local constituents. ¹⁷