2025 Philippine Senate election

2025 Philippine Senate election

← 2022 May 12, 2025 (2025-05-12) 2028 →
← Outgoing senators (elected 2019)
12 (of the 24) seats to the Senate of the Philippines 13 seats needed for a majority
Incumbent Senate President Francis Escudero NPC

The 2025 Philippine Senate election will be the 35th election of members to the Senate of the Philippines. It will be held on May 12, 2025, within the 2025 Philippine general election.

The seats of the 12 senators elected in 2019 will be contested in this election. The senators that will be elected in this election will serve until 2031, joining the winners of the 2022 election to form the Senate's delegation to the 20th Congress of the Philippines, with the senators elected in 2022 serving until 2028.

Background

Electoral system

The Philippines has a 24-member Senate elected at-large. Every three years since 1995, 12 seats are disputed. For 2025, the seats disputed in 2019 will be contested. Each voter has 12 votes, of which one can vote one to twelve candidates, or a multiple non-transferable vote; the twelve candidates with the most votes are elected.

Senators are limited to serving two consecutive terms, although they are eligible for a third (and succeeding) non-consecutive term.^[1] Only half of the seats are up in every senatorial election.^[2] The winning senators will succeed those elected in 2019, and will join those elected in 2022 to form the 20th Congress.

Each party or coalition endorses a slate of candidates, typically not exceeding a 12-person ticket.^[3] A party may also choose to invite "guest candidates" to complete its slate.^[4] The party may even include, with the candidates' consent, independent candidates and candidates from other parties as the party's guest candidates. Parties also may form coalitions to endorse a multi-party slate of candidates.

Winning candidates are proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC). The NBOC usually proclaims senators-elect by batches, if that candidate can no longer fall to worse than twelfth place in the tally. Post-proclamation disputes are handled by the Senate Electoral Tribunal, a body composed of six senators and three justices from the Supreme Court.

Term-limited incumbents

The following are serving a successive six-year term and are barred from seeking reelection.^[5]

1. Sonny Angara (LDP), intent unknown
2. Nancy Binay (UNA), intent unknown

   On January 20, 2024, Binay stated in an interview on DWIZ-AM that she was "50 percent sure" that she would run for the mayoralty of Makati upon the end of her term as senator.^[6]

3. Koko Pimentel (PDP), intent unknown
4. Grace Poe (Independent), intent unknown
5. Cynthia Villar (Nacionalista), intent unknown

Coalitions

Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas

On May 8, 2024, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) and Lakas–CMD signed an alliance agreement at the Manila Polo Club in Makati to form the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas for the 2025 general elections.^[7] House Speaker Martin Romualdez remarked that the formation of the alliance created the "most powerful political force in our country today", noting the positioning of the PFP as the de facto ruling party in the country and Lakas' status as the largest political party in the House of Representatives.^[8]

Two days later, former Senator Manny Pacquiao announced his senatorial candidacy as a member of the alliance while remaining a member of PROMDI.^[9][10]

Liberal Party

At a forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) on February 22, 2024, Liberal Party spokesperson and former Senator Leila de Lima announced that the party plans to field senators Bam Aquino of the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino and Francis Pangilinan of the Liberal Party, as well as human rights lawyer Chel Diokno of the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino, as its senatorial candidates in the upcoming election.^[11][12] While former vice president and 2022 presidential candidate Leni Robredo was floated as a possible candidate, Robredo ruled out a bid for the Senate and instead announced a run for the mayoralty of Naga.^[13][14]

Partido Demokratiko Pilipino

At the party's national council held on April 19, 2024, at the Nustar Resort and Casino in Cebu City, former President Rodrigo Duterte endorsed the reelection bids of incumbent Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Bong Go, and Francis Tolentino as well as the bid of actor Phillip Salvador as part of the party's slate for the election.^[15][16] On June 26, Vice President Sara Duterte confirmed the elder Duterte's bid for the Senate, along with that of her brothers Paolo Duterte, the incumbent representative for Davao City's 1st district, and Sebastian Duterte, the incumbent mayor of Davao City.^[17][18]

Candidates

Declared candidates

The following have declared their intent to run in the election:

• Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas (PFP–Lakas–CMD–NPC Alliance)
  • Lito Lapid, incumbent senator^[19]
  • Manny Pacquiao, former senator and candidate for president in 2022^[9]
  • Bong Revilla, incumbent senator^[20]

• Liberal Party
  • Kiko Pangilinan, former senator and candidate for vice president in 2022^[21]
• Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KANP)
  • Bam Aquino, former senator^[21]
  • Chel Diokno, chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group and senatorial candidate in 2019 and 2022^[21]

• Partido Demokratiko Pilipino
  • Ronald dela Rosa, incumbent senator^[22]
  • Paolo Duterte (HNP), incumbent representative of Davao City's 1st district^[23]
  • Rodrigo Duterte, former president of the Philippines^[24]
  • Sebastian Duterte (HNP), incumbent mayor of Davao City^[25]
  • Bong Go, incumbent senator^[22]
  • Phillip Salvador, actor^[22]
  • Francis Tolentino, incumbent senator^[22]

• Independent
  • Willie Revillame, TV host^[26]

Potential candidates

Other incumbents eligible for reelection

Media outlets such as The Manila Times anticipate the following to seek reelection:^[27]

• Pia Cayetano (Nacionalista)
• Imee Marcos (Nacionalista)

Others

• Benjamin Abalos Jr. (PFP), incumbent secretary of the interior and local government^[28]
• Abby Binay (NPC), incumbent mayor of Makati^[29]
• Leila de Lima (Liberal), former senator^[12]
• Richard Gomez (PFP), incumbent representative of Leyte's 4th district^[30]
• Gringo Honasan (Independent), former senator^[29]
• Ping Lacson (Independent), former senator and candidate for president in 2022^[29]
• Isko Moreno (Aksyon), former mayor of Manila and candidate for president in 2022^[31]
• Willie Ong (Aksyon), cardiologist and media personality and candidate for vice president in 2022^[30]
• Ariel Querubin (Nacionalista), retired military officer and candidate for senator in 2010^[30]
• Rufus Rodriguez (CDP), incumbent representative of Cagayan de Oro's 2nd district^[30]
• Martin Romualdez (Lakas–CMD), speaker of the House of Representatives^[28]
• Yedda Marie Romualdez (Lakas–CMD), incumbent representative of Tingog Party List^[30]
• Tito Sotto (NPC), former senate president of the Philippines and candidate for vice president in 2022^[29]
• Gilbert Teodoro (PRP), incumbent secretary of national defense^[30]
• Erwin Tulfo (ACT-CIS), incumbent representative of ACT-CIS Partylist^[30]
• Camille Villar (Nacionalista), incumbent representative of Las Piñas's at-large district^[30]

Opinion polling

Opinion polling in the Philippines is conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS), Pulse Asia, OCTA Research, and other pollsters.

References