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A 36-year-young political and campaign strategist has successfully unseated a long-standing politician who has dominated power for 33 years in Infanta, Quezon, a feat that nearly all of his fellow townspeople would find hard to believe.
However, the current Vice-Mayor Lord Arnel L. Ruanto — referred to as L.A. by friends and constituents — accomplished this through his 5th ranked incumbent councilor who surpassed outgoing mayor Filipina Grace America, who contended for vice-mayor in the midterm elections held on May 12.
Ms. America has been a dominant figure in Infanta’s local politics for over three decades by running for either mayor or vice-mayor after every three terms, appearing almost invulnerable in every electoral conflict.
But then came Vice-Mayor Ruanto himself — seemingly employing his political acumen and campaign tactics refined through his established firm, Grassroots Analytics Philippines (GRAPH), where he serves as the chief strategist — who went on to become the youngest mayor in Infanta by defeating his political adversary, Ebit Escueta, by over a 6,000 vote margin in the mayoral contest.
Using survey data and thorough research, Mr. Ruanto constructed his political alliance with incumbent councilor Mannie America as his vice-mayoral partner, which ultimately transformed the political landscape in Infanta, resulting in Mr. Ruanto’s party, STAN Q, securing 8 out of 10 seats, while only 2 councilors associated with the veteran Ms. America managed to survive the electoral battle — who herself was outperformed in the vice-mayoral race by a simple municipal councilor — alongside Ms. America’s mayoral candidate from Lakas who was overtaken by the young Mr. Ruanto.
The recently elected mayor, Mr. Ruanto, is notably the youngest in Infanta’s political chronicles, having also been elected as the youngest councilor at 21 in 2010, before serving two terms as vice-mayor.
Ruanto’s political rise
In a discussion at his home, three days post-elections, Mr. Ruanto reminisced in a media interview that he was a student activist graduating from PUP Manila in 2009 when then Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca addressed a student leadership forum and encouraged the youth present to explore politics and governance.
He noted that he inquired of Ms. Padaca why young individuals should engage in politics and government when it is often seen as ‘corrupt.’ This was during the era of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who confronted various allegations of misconduct and corruption.
Mr. Ruanto mentioned that Ms. Padaca’s response left an indelible mark on him when she remarked that if everyone viewed government and politics as corrupt, no virtuous individuals would aspire for public office, thereby allowing corruption to thrive.
Equipped solely with a degree from PUP in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Ms. Padaca’s words motivated him immediately after graduation, with his mother as an OFW and his father as a municipal government employee, to run for town councilor even while jobless, spurred on by watching an ANC documentary about the late Naga City mayor, Jesse Robredo.
At a tender age in 2010, he provided leadership training to teachers and youth leaders who became instrumental in his campaign for councilor.
He recalled that during college, his favorite subject was group dynamics and counseling, in which he excelled, and thus he began his ‘racket’ by conducting seminars, leadership training, and team-building exercises for various companies and organizations.
In high school, he served as student government president, and in college, he mentioned that he was elected to the largest organization in the College of Arts, the PUP Psychology Students Association, boasting membership of 1,500. This experience fueled his energy and passion for a career in public service.
During subsequent elections in Infanta, he transitioned from number 4 to last place in number 8, despite his record in legislative performance, leading him to understand the necessity of connecting with constituents to achieve genuine political traction. He then dedicated himself to mastering campaign management, learning from various firms and campaign groups like Fortis, Glozen of Dr. Edwin Monares, and Schale Strategies in the US.
He purchased volumes from Ateneo University on electoral success, applying the principles he learned ‘by heart’ — the fundamentals of campaigning, including door-to-door outreach and personal engagement, marking the commencement of his authentic political education. After finishing last in 2013 in the councilor race, he ascended to the top position in the subsequent elections.
In 2017, Mr. Ruanto was among three young legislators awarded a fellowship grant by the US State Department. He received guidance from Steve Shale, the campaign director for former President Barack Obama, who was just 32 when he led Mr. Obama to victory in the historically Republican State of Florida.
They were in alignment, Mr. Ruanto thought, prompting him to return home to establish his companies, one of which is GRAPH, focusing on scientific surveying, later followed by CHARTS, or Campaign Hub for Analytics, Research, and Strategies, which specializes in analytics and strategies for various political clients—many of whom achieved success in the elections held on May 12.
Local political campaigning
“From the beginning, we utilized tracking surveys; I aimed to gauge the people’s sentiments through scientific tracking. From April to May, I conducted two surveys, allowing me to assess my standing, with particular concern for my political allies, leading me to concentrate my resources on them,” Mr. Ruanto stated concerning his mayoral campaign, further noting that managing a local campaign resembles running a business — characterized by clear structure, systems, and researched data, culminating in a victorious formula.
He expressed that his team comprises former board members, councilors, and youth council members with practical political experience and local campaign management.
“We assist individuals deserving of government roles, and to be forthright, we turn down clients with negative records,” Mr. Ruanto emphasized, noting that a survey serves as a tool to devise a candidate’s campaign rather than a definitive gauge of who will triumph outright.
He stated that their surveys may reveal actual issues at the municipal or barangay levels, thus requiring campaign messaging or narratives to be tailored and these issues must be addressed with suitable interventions backed by data.
“`He asserted that effective governance forms the core of his campaign in his race for the mayoralty, complemented by the slogan, “Lingap Agad.” He drew inspiration from Serbisyong Tunay at Natural of Gov. Helen Tan, whom he has supported in her political endeavors since her last term as congresswoman in the province’s 4th District and upon her election as governor in 2022.
Lingap Agad has become shorthand for their team’s prompt service response, especially during emergencies like typhoons, ensuring that before it strikes, relief supplies are positioned, residents are evacuated during the storm, and swift action follows once it passes.
He revealed that they assembled a political campaign team primarily made up of outsiders — a campaign manager lacking political background and experience in actual campaigns, as well as a finance officer and a data management team, all without political experience, merely adhering to the framework he established.
“There is merit in tabula rasa because sometimes when you have extensive experience, you tend to think, ‘Alam ko na yan’ or AKNY mindset, which can lead you to perceive yourself as overly clever, burdened by too much experience,” the young mayor-elect articulated, adding that he provides the strategy, structure, and a systematic approach to achieve electoral success.
Recognition and accolades as councilor, vice-mayor
As Infanta’s town councilor, Mr. Ruanto earned a reputation as the “Champion of Good Governance” and was acknowledged as one of the “Ten Outstanding Movers of the Philippines,” along with receiving the “Outstanding Service Award” from the Philippine Councilors’ League.
Throughout Mr. Ruanto’s two terms as vice-mayor, he was elected president of the Quezon Vice Mayors League (QVML), served as vice-president of VML in Internal Affairs for the Calabarzon region, and chaired the Committee on Education at the national level within VML.
As the head of the Committee on Education, he played a pivotal role in managing the Academy of Presiding Officers in collaboration with UP Diliman National College for Public Administration and Governance.
As the president of the QVML, Mr. Ruanto established the Vice Mayors Leadership Academy, inaugurated on August 29, 2022, in Lucena City, marking the first of its kind in Quezon province, where they offer free seminars on various topics during meetings.
Last year, he was honored with the America Asia Award as Vice Mayor of the Year for 2024 but could not attend the awarding ceremony in California, as he was serving as acting mayor when Mayor America was administratively suspended by the Sangguniang Panglalawigan. His initiatives with the VM Academy of Presiding Officers and the launch of the VM Leadership Academy were pivotal in his evaluation.
‘Lahat may siyensiya’
“We aim to incorporate science into our actions, enabling some level of assessment. Lahat may siyensiya — awareness rating, satisfaction rating, trust rating, lahat ay may intervention; if you’re less recognized in an area, you place your tarpaulin there, hindi lagay lang nang lagay. Kung saan ka di mataas ang trust rating, doon ka magpakita nang personal, bumabad, makipag-kuwentuhan, inom, konsultahan, lahat may intervention,” expressed Mr. Ruanto, noting that he has supported the election campaigns of senators-elect Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, along with local candidates like Laguna governor-elect Sol Aragones, Quezon congressmen Mark Enverga and Reynan Arrogancia, among others he opted not to name.
He further explained that campaign and election management is not solely a science but also an art, a peculiar blend of both in swaying the sentiments and inclinations of one’s desired constituents.
Mr. Ruanto also referenced his KampanyaOke, which involved door-to-door campaigns and outreach in ricefields, serenading rural voters with a portable karaoke setup back in 2016, a notably effective method of capturing attention that seamlessly aligns with campaign strategies.
“What originated in 2016 gained immense popularity online in 2022 during the campaign for VP Leni Robredo, amassing millions of views,” he noted, adding that in their initial survey in Quezon, VP Leni was trailing; thus, he pursued it twice with renewed fervor and intention, especially as a member of her core campaign team in the province.
In acknowledgment of Mr. Ruanto’s proficiency in campaign management and strategies, on occasion amidst his mayoralty campaign, a client would urgently contact him to deliver lectures on campaign management and strategic coaching.
Both his established firms — GRAPH and CHARTS — cater to clients comprehensively, encompassing research, conducting extensive surveys, public relations communication, and extending to operational strategies at the grassroots level to engage with the target audience.
Mr. Ruanto highlighted his role as a core group member for over a decade in the Kaya Natin Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, founded by Misses Robredo and Padaca. Upon winning his councilor position, he was welcomed into the group. He mentioned that their narratives of humility and integrity in governance ignited his own pursuit of public service.
“As a young councilor in Infanta, I was embraced by them, and it felt like coming full circle being mentored by those who once served as my inspiration,” the young Infanta mayor-elect remarked.
Beyond local boundaries
Mr. Ruanto remarked that their efforts in advocating for good governance and effective campaign management have reached audiences extending beyond local boundaries. Over time, he has been invited to share his insights on global platforms such as the Yushan Forum in Taiwan in 2019 and the World Youth Alliance in New York, USA.
In 2017, he participated in the Professional Fellows Program in Washington, D.C., broadening his understanding of civic leadership on an international level. These experiences have been enriched further through partnership and alliance-building endeavors in Gummersbach, Germany in 2023, and most recently, through engagement in The Hague Academy for Local Governance in the Netherlands in 2024.
Mr. Ruanto conveyed that each involvement has reinforced the belief that strong, ethical leadership knows no geographical boundaries and continues to inspire beneficial change globally.
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