In 1998, Jesse Robredo was term-limited after serving three consecutive terms as mayor of Naga City. His long-time ally and former city administrator Sulpicio S. Roco ran under the reform-oriented Aksyon Demokratiko banner and won the mayoralty in a landslide, continuing the governance model Robredo had institutionalized. Roco’s administration maintained the participatory governance mechanisms and developmental agenda established in the Robredo years, and the Aksyon-led coalition swept all major local positions.
By 2001, the political landscape in Naga was undergoing a shift. Roco, after serving a single term as mayor, chose not to seek re-election, paving the way for a political comeback by Jesse Robredo, who had taken a brief hiatus from politics following his term limit. Robredo filed his candidacy under the newly formed local party "NagAksyon", a merger of Aksyon Demokratiko loyalists and civic leaders.
The 2001 elections marked Robredo’s bid to return to city hall and resume his reform agenda, this time with broader grassroots mobilization and deeper organizational backing. His main rival was Lakas-CMD candidate Jojo Villafuerte, a member of the influential Villafuerte political family in Camarines Sur, who attempted to challenge Robredo’s dominance by highlighting issues of continuity and economic inclusion.
The contest was seen as a referendum on whether Naga’s electorate would reaffirm its commitment to Robredo’s governance style or shift toward a more traditional political machinery. Ultimately, Robredo won decisively, signaling public approval of his leadership legacy and returning him to the mayoralty.
Mayoral election
In the mayoral race, former mayor Jesse M. Robredo returned to office under the banner of the Liberal Party. He previously served as mayor from 1988 to 1998.[2]
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