POLITICAL HISTORY
The signing of Executive Order No. 249 on July 26, 1949, by the late President, His Excellency Elpidio Quirino, marked a very significant day for this municipality. It was by virtue of this Presidential Act that Ipil, which was originally only a sitio of Barrio Bacalan of the former district of Kabasalan, was officially created and made a full-pledge local government unit. When it was created, Ipil was composed of Barrios Bacalan, Titay, Liguisan, Tungawan, Bancaan, and sitios of Tupilak and Dawet; and also Lumbia, Magdaup, Makilas, Pangi, Poblacion, Taway, and Tiayon. Eleno Roble was the Vice Mayor. There were only four councilors, namely: Hon. Salip Toto Hasim, Hon. Habib Ibrahim Alsree, Hon. Antonio Limba and Hon. Inocente Tayo. The first Municipal Secretary was Ildefonso Caburian. Adriano Merjuar was its first elected Mayor in the year 1951. The residential house of Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Hitco Siao, located at Bangkerohan, served as the temporary town hall. Then it was transferred to the house of Mr. Jaime Crisologo, which is strategically located near the intersection of the national highways, which is at the center of the town proper. On May 24, 1960, by virtue of Executive Order No. 395 the two barangays of Ipil, namely: Tungawan and Titay were separated to become two separate municipalities. The barrios and sitios of Tungawan, Tigbawang, Tando, Looc, Tigbucay, Upper Tungawan, Tigpalay, Cayamcam, Looc Sioral, Taglibong, Tigbongabong, Bancaan, Langon, Linguisan, Gapas-gapas, Dawet, Mangalibod, Buhangin and the barrios and sitios of Lalawan, Bangko, Palomok, and Malagandis were enumerated to be part of the new municipalities respectively. Their first Mayors were Honorable Teodorico Ruflo for Titay and Honorable Jose F. Villafuerte for Tungawan. When the highways finally opened to traffic in 1961, Ipil experienced very rapid growth of development. It was during this time that the elected Mayor Generoso Sucgang, Sr. constructed and finished the 2-story concrete Municipal Building. In January 1972, Andres P. Olegario took his oath of office as the Municipal Mayor of Ipil. On March 16, 1982 by virtue of Batas Pambansa Bilang 183, Surabay and its neighboring barangays, such as Calula, Casacon, Gango, Katipunan, Kulambugan, Mabini, Magsaysay, New Antique, New Sagay, Siawang, Silingan, Tilasan, and Tupilac were separated from the municipality of Ipil, becoming a new Municipality called R.T.Lim. Honorable Romeo Billote was appointed as its first Municipal mayor. Because of the People Power of 1986, Mayor Andres P. Olegario and all elective officials in Ipil were replaced by the OICs, so that on June 30, 1986, Dr. Henry de Villa was appointed as the OIC Mayor and ABC President Cleopatra P. Largo was appointed OIC Vice Mayor. OIC COUNCILORS also replaced all the councilors. In 1988, Atty. Jose Fontanoza won the election to become the Municipal Mayor of Ipil and
Atty. Arthur L. Ventura was the Municipal Vice Mayor. On June 30, 1992, Francisco Q. Pontanar, newly elected Mayor and Atty. Rey Andre C. Olegario, newly elected Vice mayor, together with the newly elected members of the Sangguniang Bayan took their oath of office in the most solemn and official manner before the Honorable Judge Sergio S. Apostol of the Regional Court at the IPIL GYM. During the 1995 election, Francisco Q. Pontanar was re-elected as the Municipal Mayor of Ipil and Valentino C. Inoferio won the election as the Municipal Vice Mayor. It was during this year, before Election Day that the Abu Sayyaf attacked and burned down the commercial buildings of Ipil. On May 1998 elections, Atty. Olegario was elected as the Municipal Mayor of Ipil and Hon. Wilfredo S. Flores was elected as the Municipal Vice Mayor until September 4, 1999. Atty. Richard B. Rambuyong who was the first councilor elect succeeded Hon. Flores as the Municipal Vice-Mayor after his death. There are eight Sangguniang Bayan members: two were re-elected, five were newly elected and one was appointed councilor. In the year 2000, the 1-story concrete Hall of Justice Hall building was constructed under the leadership of Atty. Olegario. It was also during his term that the unfinished construction of Don Andres Wet and Dry Market was finished and open for business. On May 2001 elections, Atty. Olegario was re-elected as Municipal Mayor of Ipil and Atty. Rambuyong was elected as the Municipal Vice Mayor. There are five councilors who were re-elected and three were newly elected. Olegario was again re-elected as Municipal Mayor of Ipil on May 2004 elections and Hon. Marlon A. Pontanar who was the first councilor of the 2001 election was elected as the Municipal Vice Mayor of the municipality. There are five newly elected councilors and there were three councilors who were re-elected. In May 2007 elections, Atty. Eldwin M. Alibutdan was elected as the Mayor of Ipil and Anamel C. Olegario was elected as Vice-Mayor together with the eight Sangguninang Bayan members. During the May 2010 elections, Atty. Alibutdan was reelected as Mayor and Anamel C. Olegario Vice-Mayor also reelected as Vice-Mayor. The due were again re-elected for their 3rd and last terms respectively in 2013. In May 11, 2016, three (3) term Vice-Mayor Anamel C. Olegario was elected as the first lady mayor of Ipil. Councilor Edward L. Bordner was elected as Vice-mayor. Three (3) incumbent councilors were re-elected and 5 are new ones.
