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Sol Aragones

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In this Philippine name for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is Castillo, the birth surname or paternal family name is Aragones, and the marital name is Sampelo.
Sol Aragones
Aragones wearing a red satin blouse
Aragones in 2022
19th Governor of Laguna
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 30, 2025
Vice GovernorJM Carait
Preceded byRamil Hernandez
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Laguna's 3rd district
In office
June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2022
Preceded byMaria Evita Arago
Succeeded byLoreto Amante
Personal details
Born
Marisol Castillo Aragones

(1977-11-07) November 7, 1977 (age 47)
San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines
Political partyAKAY (2024–present)
Other political
affiliations		Nacionalista (2018–2024)
PDP–Laban (2016–2018)
UNA (2012–2016)
Spouse
Paulo Sampelo
​
(m. 2005)​
Children1
Alma materUniversity of the Philippines Los Banos (BS)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • television journalist

Marisol "Sol" Castillo Aragones-Sampelo (born November 7, 1977) is a Filipino politician and former journalist who has served as the 19th governor of Laguna since 2025. The founder of the Akay National Political Party (AKAY), she previously served as the representative of Laguna's third district from 2013 to 2022 and ran for governor in the 2022 elections.

Educated at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Aragones began her career as a reporter for ABS-CBN and as a radio anchor for DZMM. She held senior reporting roles for TV Patrol, Bandila, and Umagang Kay Ganda, and received several accolades for her work.

Aragones entered politics in 2013 after being elected to Congress. As a representative, she introduced legislation related to education, health services, and livelihood opportunities. Upon being term-limited, she ran for governor and lost to Governor Ramil Hernandez. Following her defeat, she established a national party from her former healthcare initiative, AKAY, and launched a successful bid for governor.

Early life and education

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Marisol Castillo Aragones was born on November 6, 1977, in San Pablo, Laguna, to Rolando Aragones, a tricycle driver, and Nora Castillo, a baker.[1] She attended secondary school in Canossa College in San Pablo, Laguna, where she was a student leader.[2] She graduated in 1998 with a BS in Development Communication at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, with a major in Community Broadcasting.[3]

Journalism career

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After graduation, she worked for ABS-CBN as a news reporter until September 2012.[4] She also worked as a radio anchor for DZMM during this period.[4]

She then worked as a writer for Hoy Gising!, eventually becoming a reporter. She was segment host for Salamat Dok and Alas Singko Y Medya, segment producer for Verum EST: Totoo Ba Ito? and True Crime, and co-host of the documentary Kalye with Anthony Taberna and Atom Araullo. She was the anchor for Nagbabagang Balita (breaking/hourly news) and DZMM's S.R.O. - Suhestyon, Reaksyon at Opinyon. She was also the Senior Reporter for TV Patrol, Bandila, and Umagang Kay Ganda.[5] She was recognized as an outstanding field reporter, winning the Gandingan Award in 2006, the Distinguished Alumna Award in Media Practice by UP in 2009, the Outstanding San Pableños Award in May 2010, and the best field reporter in the 2011 Communication Guild (Comguild) Awards.[5]

House of Representatives (2013–2022)

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Elections

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Main articles: 2013 Philippine House of Representatives elections, 2016 Philippine House of Representatives elections, and 2019 Philippine House of Representatives elections
Official portrait, 2019

In 2013, Aragones ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in Laguna's third district as a member of the United Nationalist Alliance.[6] During the campaign, she allied with former governor ER Ejercito and board member Angelica Alarva. She went on to defeat the incumbent representative, Maria Evita Arago, by more than 10,000 votes.[7][better source needed]

Tenure

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During her tenure, Aragones introduced legislation related to education, health services, and livelihood opportunities.[5] Among these bills were the Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Responsibility and Opportunity Act,[8] the Pregnant Women's Protection Act,[9] and the Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Discrimination Prohibition Act.[10]

Laguna gubernatorial campaigns

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2022

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Main article: 2022 Laguna local elections

In the 2022 elections, Aragones ran for governor of Laguna and lost to incumbent governor Ramil Hernandez.[11][12]

2025

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Main article: 2025 Laguna local elections

On May 10, 2024, Aragones established the Akay National Political Party from her "Akay Ni Sol" initiative, which had advocated for support for persons with disabilities (PWD) since 2022.[13][14] Later that year, she launched a second bid for governor for the 2025 elections.[15] Her platform revolved around policies concerning health and wellness, a theme her camp emphasized throughout the campaign.[16][17]

During the campaign, she declared her support for the senatorial bid of Rodante Marcoleta, a key figure in the shutdown of ABS-CBN, a move that attracted criticism from her former colleagues at ABS-CBN.[18][19][20][21] She went on to win the election, becoming the second woman to be elected to the office after Teresita Lazaro, who served from 2001 to 2010.[22] She received 39.80% of the vote, leading in 24 of the province's 30 cities and municipalities, including upset victories in the bailiwicks of her opponents.[23]

Governor of Laguna (since 2025)

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Aragones began her term on June 30, 2025, being sworn into office by Angelina Tan, the governor of Quezon on July 2 at the Cultural Center in Santa Cruz.[24][25] She has appointed Gerry Pelayo, a former mayor of Candaba, as the provincial administrator and Ronald Barsena as her chief of staff.[26] As governor, she has cited healthcare, tourism, and agriculture as the priorities of her administration.[27] Leading up to her term, Aragones attracted criticism online over her plans to brand her programs with her name, "Sol", and her alternate approach of using "Gob", an abbreviation of gobernador (lit. 'governor').[28]

Healthcare

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During her inauguration, Aragones announced her flagship "Akay ni Sol Botika" program, which sought to build healthcare centers in all of the province's cities and municipalities by November 2025.[24][29] Among her early actions in office was launching a poster campaign in hospitals aiming to discourage "rude" behavior from hospital workers, a move health workers criticized as dismissive of their difficulties working in the country's strained healthcare system.[30][28]

Personal life

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Aragones married Paulo Sampelo on December 15, 2005.[31]

Electoral history

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Electoral history of Sol Aragones
Year Office Party Votes received Result
Total % P. Swing
2013 Representative (Laguna–3rd) UNA 92,273 50.58% 1st — Won
2016 154,339 71.12% 1st +20.54 Won
2019 Nacionalista 214,899 95.76% 1st +24.64 Won
2022 Governor of Laguna 630,232 41.62% 2nd — Lost
2025 AKAY 635,570 39.80% 1st -1.82 Won

References

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  1. ^ "Sol Aragones biography". Profiles.ph. March 4, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  2. ^ Macaraig, Ayee (September 18, 2012). "ABS-CBN's Sol Aragones running for Congress". Rappler. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  3. ^ "Marisol Castillo Aragones". Rappler. May 13, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "ABS-CBN's Sol Aragones running for Congress". Rappler. September 18, 2012. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 16, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "ABS-CBN's Sol Aragones takes oath with UNA". ABS-CBN News. September 22, 2012.
  7. ^ "Tracking".
  8. ^ "Ex-reporter Sol Aragones files House bill vs teen pregnancy". The Philippine STAR.
  9. ^ "More benefits pregnant mothers pushed". SUNSTAR. July 13, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "LGBT finds an ally in the House; bill to protect their rights against discrimination filed". The Manila Times. July 16, 2013.
  11. ^ Molina, Carlo Jacob (October 5, 2021). "Lawmaker Sol Aragones files candidacy for Laguna governor". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  12. ^ Deña, Carla Bauto (May 11, 2022). "Reelectionist Laguna Gov. Hernandez proclaimed". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  13. ^ "Alagang Akay rolls out 200 wheelchairs for PWDs in Laguna". Inquirer.net. December 7, 2022.
  14. ^ "Mass oath-taking marks launch of Akay National Political Party". Politiko. May 9, 2024.
  15. ^ Amoroso, Ed (October 9, 2024). "4 compete for Laguna top post". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  16. ^ Aquino, Roselle (February 13, 2025). "Aragones lays down gubernatorial platform". The Manila Times. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  17. ^ de Leon, Dwight (May 18, 2025). "Disciplined campaign messaging, ground game carried Laguna's Sol Aragones to victory". RAPPLER. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  18. ^ Dwight, de Leon (May 7, 2025). "Sol Aragones defends Marcoleta endorsement: This isn't about me, this is about Laguna". Rappler. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  19. ^ Pasajol, Anne (May 6, 2025). "Former ABS-CBN news exec dismayed by Sol Aragones' support for Rodante Marcoleta". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  20. ^ Pasajol, Anne (May 6, 2025). "Former ABS-CBN news exec dismayed by Sol Aragones' support for Rodante Marcoleta". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  21. ^ "Sol Aragones draws flak over photo with Rodante Marcoleta; defends move as 'for the people'". LionhearTV. May 8, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  22. ^ "BASAHIN: Tinanggap na ni Cong. Dan Fernandez ang kaniyang pagkatalo sa pagka-gobernador ng Laguna". Net 25 (in Filipino). May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  23. ^ de Leon, Dwight (May 15, 2025). "MAP: Towns, cities won by Sol Aragones in 2025 Laguna gubernatorial race". RAPPLER. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  24. ^ a b Aquino, Roselle R. (July 5, 2025). "Aragones unveils flagship programs". The Manila Times. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  25. ^ "Sol takes her oath". Manila Standard. July 2, 2025. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  26. ^ Tomandao, Roy (June 6, 2025). "Aragones aims to boost Laguna's tourism sector". Manila Standard. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  27. ^ Aquino, Roselle R. (July 12, 2025). "Aragones goes after delinquent taxpayers". The Manila Times. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  28. ^ a b Gonzalez, Mia (July 6, 2025). "Laguna Governor Sol Aragones marks first week with health care, road safety policies". RAPPLER. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
  29. ^ "Laguna to establish community pharmacies". Manila Bulletin. July 4, 2025. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  30. ^ Gatmaitan, Isabel (July 4, 2025). "Laguna governor misses the mark with new poster, former nurse reacts". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  31. ^ "Broadcast Journalist Pays It Forward". Yahoo! News Philippines. Manila Bulletin. November 17, 2012. Archived from the original on April 28, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Laguna
2025–present 		Incumbent
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