{{Short description|Filipino politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Philippine name|Blando|Bernos}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Joseph Bernos | image = Rep. Joseph Sto. Niño Bernos (20th Congress).jpg | image_size = | caption = Official portrait, 2025 | office = Member of the Philippine House of Representatives<br>from Abra's Lone district | term_start = June 30, 2025 | predecessor = Menchie Bernos | term_start1 = June 30, 2016 | term_end1 = June 30, 2022 | predecessor1 = Maria Jocelyn Bernos | successor1 = Menchie Bernos | office2 = Mayor of La Paz | term_start2 = June 30, 2022 | term_end2 = June 30, 2025 | predecessor2 = Menchie Bernos | successor2 = Danielle Belyne Bernos | 1blankname3 = Vice Mayor | 1namedata3 = Menchie Bernos | term_start3 = January 13, 2006 | term_end3 = June 30, 2016 | predecessor3 = Marc Ysrael Bernos | successor3 = Menchie Bernos | office4 = Vice Mayor of La Paz | 1blankname4 = Mayor | 1namedata4 = Marc Ysrael Bernos | term_start4 = June 30, 2004 | term_end4 = January 13, 2006 | birth_name = Joseph Sto. Niño B. Bernos | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Lakas-CMD (2008–2012; 2024–present) | other_party = Nacionalista (2021–2024)<br>Asenso (local party; 2018–2024)<br>PDP-Laban (2016–2021)<br>Liberal (2012–2016)<br>KAMPI (2007–2008) | parents = | spouse = Menchie Beronilla | relations = | profession = | salary = | portfolio = | partner = | children = 2 | alma_mater = | website = }}
'''Joseph Sto. Niño "JB" Blando Bernos''' is a Filipino politician. He is a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the Lone District of Abra since 2025, previously holding the seat from 2016 to 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=HOUSE MEMBERS |url=https://congress.gov.ph/members/search.php?id=bernos-j |website=House of Representatives |access-date=March 24, 2021}}</ref> From 2006 to 2016 and again from 2022 to 2025, he was the mayor of La Paz, Abra.
== Early life and career == Joseph Bernos is the son of former Governor of Abra Andres Bernos. His first political experience was as a Sangguniang Kabataan federation president. He served as a councilor of La Paz. He then served as the vice mayor. He was eventually elected as the mayor of La Paz.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-05 |title=La Paz Mayor eyed to lead LMP |url=https://mirror.pia.gov.ph/news/2022/07/05/la-paz-mayor-eyed-to-lead-lmp |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=PIA}}</ref>
== Mayor of Abra (2006–2016) == In January 2006, he was sworn in after the murder of Mayor Marc Ysrael Bernos. Department of the Interior and Local Government then-Secretary Angelo Reyes ordered the tightening of security.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IVg1AAAAIBAJ&dq=joseph+bernos+mayor&pg=PA2&article_id=3159,10283799 |title=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=January 16, 2006 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |language=en}}</ref> In December 2006, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo berated Bernos and other mayors during a meeting because of the vulnerability of Abra after the killing of Representative Luis Bersamin.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVc1AAAAIBAJ&dq=joseph+bernos+mayor&pg=PA2&article_id=2493,14182107 |title=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=December 31, 2006 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |language=en}}</ref> In a report published in 2007, Bernos was linked to four partisan armed groups members.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cimatu |first=Frank |date=May 8, 2007 |title=Abra's biggest private army traced to gov |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cFQ1AAAAIBAJ&dq=joseph+bernos+2007&pg=PA80&article_id=2040,3008424 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer}}</ref> Bernos condemned the New People's Army killing of a councilor bet.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sunnexdesk |date=2016-04-07 |title=Politician killed after refusing to pay campaign permit |url=https://www.sunstar.com.ph/more-articles/politician-killed-after-refusing-to-pay-campaign-permit |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=SunStar Publishing Inc. |language=en}}</ref>
== House of Representatives (2016–2022, 2025–present) == Bernos ran for Abra's at-large congressional district in the 2016 Philippine House of Representatives elections under the Liberal Party. He gained 63,033 votes, winning against three other candidates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ABRA {{!}} Provincial Results {{!}} Eleksyon2016 {{!}} Results - |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/eleksyon2016/results/local/CAR/ABRA/?tfb_a |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}</ref> In the 2019 Philippine House of Representatives elections, he ran for the lone district of Abra under the Asenso Party. He won with 115,081 votes against two other candidates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Abra {{!}} Provincial Results {{!}} Eleksyon 2019 |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/eleksyon2019/results/local/Abra/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}</ref> On March 24, 2021, Bernos announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mercado |first1=Neil Arwin |title=Abra Rep. Joseph Bernos contracts COVID-19 |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1410912/abra-rep-joseph-bernos-contracts-covid-19 |website=INQUIRER.NET |date=March 24, 2021 |access-date=March 24, 2021}}</ref> Bernos was reelected in 2025 under Lakas-CMD.
== Mayor of La Paz, Abra (2022–2025) == In the 2022 Philippine local elections, he ran for the Mayor of Abra under the Nacionalista Party. He won unopposed with 10,490 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 ELECTION RESULTS: La Paz, Abra |url=https://phvote2022.rappler.com/elections/2022/abra/la-paz |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=PHVOTE |language=en}}</ref> During his term, he was elected as the president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quitasol |first=Aldwin |date=2025-06-22 |title=Incoming Abra execs vow cleaner capital |url=https://tribune.net.ph/2025/06/21/incoming-abra-execs-vow-cleaner-capital |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=Daily Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
== Controversies == DZRH provincial news correspondent Romeo Gonzales filed a complaint with the Philippine National Police in Baguio City on April 23,2025 alleging that La Paz, Abra Mayor Joseph “JB” Bernos—who is also a congressional candidate—threatened him to follow his report on a shooting incident in Abra for DZRH News.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jr |first=Victor Barreiro |date=2025-04-24 |title=DZRH says its news correspondent threatened by Abra mayor |url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/elections/dzrh-romeo-gonzales-reports-pnp-abra-congressional-candidate-bernos-threats/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=RAPPLER |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=pinoytrend |date=2025-04-24 |title=Kaalyadong alkalde ni PBBM, pinagmumura at pinagbantaan umano ang isang reporter |url=https://pinoytrend.net/2025/04/24/kaalyadong-alkalde-ni-pbbm-pinagmumura-at-pinagbantaan-umano-ang-isang-reporter/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |language=en-US}}</ref> On April 21, 2025 in Barangay Budac, Tayum, Abra, Gonzales covered and reported on a violent confrontation between armed police personnel and a barangay official. His report was subsequently disseminated across DZRH’s multimedia platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=TDT |date=2025-04-26 |title=La Paz Mayor accused of threatening DZRH reporter |url=https://tribune.net.ph/2025/04/25/la-paz-mayor-accused-of-threatening-dzrh-reporter |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=Daily Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas issued a strong condemnation of the threats allegedly made by La Paz, Abra Mayor Joseph "JB" Bernos against Romeo Gonzales, a provincial correspondent for DZRH radio station.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/other/kbp-condemns-abra-mayors-threats-vs-radio-correspondent/ar-AA1DDSfK |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=www.msn.com}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|ph-lwr}} {{s-bef|before= Menchie Bernos}} {{s-ttl|rows=2|title=Representative, Lone District of Abra |years= 2025–present<br>2016–2022}} {{s-inc}} {{s-bef|before= Maria Jocelyn Bernos}} {{s-aft|after= Menchie Bernos}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Marc Ysrael Bernos}} {{s-ttl|rows=2|title=Mayor of La Paz |years= 2007–2016<br>2022–2025}} {{s-aft|after=Menchie Bernos}} {{s-bef|before=Menchie Bernos}} {{s-aft|after=Danielle Belyne Bernos}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernos, Joseph}} Category:Living people Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Abra (province) Category:People from Abra (province) Category:1978 births Category:21st-century mayors of places in the Philippines Category:Mayors of places in Abra Category:Vice mayors of places in the Philippines Category:21st-century Filipino politicians Category:Asenso Abrenio politicians Category:Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino politicians Category:Lakas–CMD politicians Category:Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians Category:Nacionalista Party politicians Category:Partido Demokratiko Pilipino politicians