2025 Philippine Senate election

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 who 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.
The ruling administration of President Bongbong Marcos formed the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas, comprising the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Lakas–CMD, Nacionalista Party, National Unity Party (NUP), and the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), to contest the election. In the opposition, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino and Makabayan put up tickets that had eight or more members. Other parties that had previous senators in their tickets were Aksyon Demokratiko, Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino, Nacionalista Party, Reform PH Party and the Liberal Party.
In the 2022 election, the UniTeam, backing the candidacies of eventual president Bongbong Marcos and vice president Sara Duterte, won a plurality of seats in the Senate of the Philippines. Leading up to the opening of the 19th Congress, Cynthia Villar and Migz Zubiri, both having run under UniTeam, were viewed as the frontrunners to succeed Senate President Tito Sotto, who left the Senate after being term-limited. After Zubiri presumptively earned enough votes to be elected Senate president and negotiations for a term-sharing agreement failed, Villar withdrew from the contest, leaving Zubiri unopposed for the Senate presidency.
Zubiri's term as Senate president was marked by speculation of efforts to unseat him. Such speculation was confirmed by Senator Imee Marcos, who stated that there were plans to oust Zubiri from the Senate presidency, attributing such efforts to pressure that "came from outside the Senate". On May 20, 2024, Zubiri resigned the Senate presidency after 15 senators expressed their support to oust him from the post. Senator Francis Escudero was nominated as his successor and was elected without objection.
While in government after UniTeam's large victories in the election, Duterte remarked that the UniTeam had already "served its purpose" but claimed that the alliance was still "intact". Following mounting tensions between the Marcos and Duterte political clans, Duterte resigned from her roles as Secretary of Education and co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. Political observers saw Duterte's resignation from her positions in the Marcos administration as a confirmation of the collapse of the UniTeam. Some labeled Duterte as a potential "leader of the opposition", a label that she would reject, claiming that she was "still friends" with Marcos.
Political scientist Julio C. Teehankee observed that a broad united coalition is unlikely to form in 2025 given that the Liberal Party, the traditional political opposition since 2016, has more in common with the ruling Marcos administration and noted that "there is little value in debating" which political faction is the true opposition, noting the varied motivations for opposing an incumbent government.
The Philippines has a 24-member Senate elected at-large. Every three years since 1995, 12 seats are contested. For 2025, the seats last elected in 2019 will be contested. Each voter has 12 votes, of which one can vote for 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. Only half of the seats are up in every senatorial election. 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. A party may also choose to invite "guest candidates" to complete its slate. 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.
The following are serving a successive six-year term and are barred from seeking reelection.
In both chambers of Congress, members are organized into "blocs", akin to parliamentary groups elsewhere. In keeping with the traditions of the Third Philippine Republic which was under a two-party system, there are two main blocs, the majority and minority blocs; this is although the country is now in a multi-party system. Those who voted for the Senate president are from the majority bloc, while those who did not (if there are more than two candidates for the Senate presidency) will vote amongst themselves on who will be the minority bloc. Those who belong to neither bloc shall be the independent minority bloc. Members can also be from the independent bloc. Each bloc can have members from multiple parties. Only the majority and minority blocs have voting privileges in committees.
At the end of the 19th Congress, the majority bloc is composed of members who voted for Escudero for Senate president.
These parties have put up at least one candidate in the election:
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 (English: Alliance for the New Philippines; ABP) for the 2025 general elections. 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.
Romualdez also implied that the coalition plans to include "all major parties", including the Nacionalista Party, which began negotiations with the alliance on July 2. President Marcos remarked that the alliance aims to be based "not on political expediency but on ideology" that focuses on unity and a new Philippines. Two parties would sign alliance agreements with the coalition: the Nationalist People's Coalition on May 19, and the National Unity Party on June 29. The Nacionalista Party formally entered the coalition on August 8.
On May 10, former Senator Manny Pacquiao announced his senatorial candidacy as a member of the alliance while remaining a member of PROMDI. Reelectionist Senator Imee Marcos, the sister of the president and PFP chairman, noted that she was unsure of her inclusion in the coalition, though the entry of the Nacionalista Party in the alliance ensured her inclusion in its ticket. Party leaders under the alliance met on August 19; on the same day, Erwin Tulfo noted that the administration "still has no final senatorial lineup".
On September 26, President Marcos announced the administration's twelve senatorial bets during an event at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay. Although Imee Marcos, the president's sister, was introduced as part of the slate, she stated that she would not be joining the slate and would instead be running as an independent. Despite her statement, she was never formally dropped from the slate, and was even shown campaigning with the alliance at the start of the campaign season. In the aftermath of the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte, she left the slate again on March 26, 2025.
In the 2022 Senate election, senator Risa Hontiveros of Akbayan became the only candidate of the opposition Team Robredo–Pangilinan (TRoPa) to be re-elected. After vice president Leni Robredo left office, she became the de facto leader of the opposition against Marcos and Duterte. Hontiveros joined the Senate's minority bloc alongside Koko Pimentel. She rose into prominence as she led investigations against Philippine offshore gaming operators.
At a forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on February 22, 2024, Liberal Party spokesperson and former senator Leila de Lima announced that the party plans to field former senators Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan (nicknamed "Kiko"), as well as human rights lawyer Chel Diokno of the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KANP), as its senatorial candidates in the upcoming election. Aquino confirmed his bid for the Senate on May 14 after being appointed as the chairman of KANP. 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, Camarines Sur, though the party remained keen in drafting Robredo for its Senate ticket.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes, who ran under TRoPa in the 2022 election, proposed that the Liberal Party and its allies "set aside sensitivities for a larger cause" and align with the Marcos administration in the Senate race to ensure "obliteration of the Duterte forces". Party president Edcel Lagman was also open to such arrangement. Political pundits suggest that such a coalition would provide the opposition with more resources during the campaign but may alienate "many groups in the opposition camp who are ideologically opposed to any alliance with other political groups". De Lima disapproved of Trillanes' proposal, emphasizing the need to adhere to the party's principles as a political opposition and identity as "the alternative to the Marcos bloc and the Duterte bloc". Senator Risa Hontiveros concurred with de Lima, stating that while she respects Trillanes's proposition, such an alliance would not form a "genuine opposition".
On September 20, the Liberal Party announced Pangilinan's candidacy for senator. Aquino and Pangilinan then launched their "Mga Kaibigan" (Friends) campaign on October 16 at the Bahay ng Alumni at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with Hontiveros serving as their campaign manager. At a campaign event in Bulacan, in November 2024, their campaign adopted the name "KiBam", a portmanteau of their names.
In an interview during the commemoration of the 42nd anniversary of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers on June 26, 2024, term-limited Representative France Castro announced her bid for the Senate in response to open letters from teachers encouraging her to seek a seat in the chamber in 2025. Castro added that the Makabayan coalition plans to form a 12-member senate slate for the 2025 elections with the aim to form an "alternative slate" to the ruling government. The coalition aims to field candidates from marginalized sectors and vowed not to field candidates from political dynasties or influential families. Castro and Representative Arlene Brosas also stated that they were open to form alliances with "true opposition" groups and have entered negotiations with other opposition groups such as the Liberal Party. The slate will be named as "Oposisyon ng Bayan" (transl. People's Opposition). Brosas later announced her Senate bid on July 16.
Eight more members of the Makabayan senatorial slate independently announced their candidacies in July and August of 2024, including former representatives Teodoro Casiño and Liza Maza and leaders from various sectoral grassroots organizations. Makabayan formally announced its ten-member senatorial slate on August 26, during its National Heroes Day event at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila. On September 24, Moro activist Amirah Lidasan announced her run as the 11th Makabayan senatorial candidate. On October 4, all eleven members of its senatorial slate filed their respective candidacies.
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 Jimmy Bondoc as well as the bid of actor Phillip Salvador as part of the party's slate for the election. PDP–Laban also renamed itself into the "Partido Demokratiko Pilipino", dropping the "Lakas ng Bayan" from its name. 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.
In response to the possibility of an alliance between the ruling Marcos administration and the Liberal Party, dela Rosa affirmed that the Dutertes would lead the opposition in such case. On September, at the PDP national assembly, the party formed an alliance with Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma, Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan and the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee.
During the filing of candidacies, Rodrigo Duterte ran as mayor of Davao City, his son Sebastian running as vice mayor, and another son Paolo running for representative from Davao City's 1st district. Meanwhile, Go, dela Rosa, and Salvador jointly filed to run for senator. Duterte administration officials Raul Lambino and Jimmy Bondoc also filed their candidacies to run for senator also under PDP. In a January 30, 2025 meeting at Davao City, former president Duterte endorsed all PDP senatorial candidates, including Jayvee Hinlo, and independents Apollo Quiboloy and Rodante Marcoleta. On the proclamation rally held at San Juan, the party endorsed all eight aforementioned candidates, and independent candidate Vic Rodriguez, President Marcos's first Executive Secretary.
The filing of candidacies was from October 1 to 8, 2024, at the Manila Hotel. A total of 184 people registered to run for senator. One withdrew his candidacy. More than a week later, the commission released an initial list of 66 approved candidates. In November, the COMELEC declared 117 nuisance candidates, 14 of which filed motion for reconsideration. This includes 2022 election candidate and social media personality Francis Leo Marcos. In December, the COMELEC announced 66 names are on their final list, having received no temporary restraining orders from the Supreme Court.
On January 14, 2025, Chavit Singson announced his withdrawal as a candidate. On the same day, the Supreme Court issued temporary restraining orders preventing the COMELEC from excluding certain aspirants on the ballot, including senatorial aspirant Subair Mustapha. The COMELEC acquiesced to the court's order, and ordered the reprinting of ballots that did not have Mustapha's name on the ballot. Singson made his withdrawal official on January 16; the COMELEC then decided to remove his name on the ballot, as they would have to reprint new ballots anyway. On January 21, the Supreme Court released more injunctions, including adding Francis Leo Marcos on the ballot as a senatorial candidate. Marcos himself withdrew on January 23. The COMELEC then reprinted ballots on January 27, still with 66 names, but with Mustapha's name on it, and without Marcos's and Singson's names.
On February 10, at the eve of campaigning, WIlbert T. Lee withdrew, citing lack of political machinery as the reason. The commission, after receiving Lee's withdrawal said the printing of ballots will not be affected as Lee would remain on the ballot, and votes for him will be considered as stray votes. On February 13, Willie Ong also announced his withdrawal, citing ill health. Ong's wife Liza filed paperwork to make her husband's official on February 21.
Opinion polling in the Philippines is conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS), Pulse Asia, OCTA Research, and other pollsters.
This list includes all individuals named by at least 10% of respondents in any of the surveys conducted after the campaign officially began. The top 18 candidates with the highest favorability in each poll are listed below, where the top 12 are above the "black line". For a comprehensive list of all individuals included in the surveys, see the main article.
Even prior to the campaign period starting, Imee Marcos and Camille Villar were identified to be the heaviest spenders in political advertisements on television, each reportedly spending 1 billion pesos each.
Campaigning for nationally elected positions, including those for senators, start on February 11, 2025, and ends on May 11, 2025, election eve.
On February 5, the final session day before Congress goes on recess for campaigning, the House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte. The Senate then received the articles of impeachment later in the day, an hour or so before the Senate went on recess.
The following were the personnel of each slate:
At the start of the campaign period, the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas held a proclamation rally at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. In this rally, President Marcos took jabs at some opposition candidates, saying "parang ‘yung mga iba na naging kandidato eh nag-deliver lang yata ng suka eh nabigyan na ng certificate of candidacy" (transl. some looked like they just delivered vinegar but yet was given a certificate of candidacy), with "suka" referring to vinegar), as opposed to their slate's candidates’ track record for public service.
Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan held their proclamation rally at Dasmariñas Arena in Dasmariñas, Cavite, together with Akbayan and Mamamayang Liberal partylists. On February 11, Aquino maintained that their KiBam slate is an "independent slate" and not an "opposition" one, Makabayan held their proclamation rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.Quiboloy also held a proclamation rally at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig, attended by some PDP candidates.
On February 13, PDP also held their proclamation rally at the Club Filipino in San Juan. On that proclamation rally, Duterte joked "Let’s just kill incumbent senators so there will be vacancies. If we can kill 15 senators, we can all get in." On the same proclamation rally, Ronald dela Rosa, in response to President Marcos's "suka comments", said that their slate should be called "Team Suka", and that vinegar vendors should not stop oneself from dreaming big. Also in response to allegations that he is a "pro-China" candidate, dela Rosa said "I am eager to wage war there in the West Philippine Sea" This is also after fellow PDP slate member Rodante Marcoleta said that "There is not—there is nothing as" the West Philippine Sea. Marcoleta reversed his statements on February 13, saying "I am not saying it is wrong for us to call [it the] West Philippine Sea, because I said, with or without name, that particular area is ours".
On their proclamation rally at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City, the Partido Lakas ng Masa, in reference to President Marcos's "suka comments", decried the latter's candidates on not showing up for debates. Leody de Guzman labeled the administration's candidates as cowards, while Luke Espiritu called Marcos's statement as arrogant.
Ariel Querubin, a retired marine colonel, and Bonifacio Bosita, a retired police lieutenant colonel, announced their alliance on February 17, calling themselves the "Riding-in-tandem Team".
On March 11, former president Duterte was arrested on basis of a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) coursed via Interpol. Duterte was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, after returning to the country after an election rally at Hong Kong. Senate President Francis Escudero urged due process from the ICC and called for restraint, warning against using Duterte's arrest for political gain ahead of the election. Reelectionist Imee Marcos, criticized the political divisions, saying Duterte's arrest only creates "chaos" and questioning whether it benefits ordinary Filipinos. She also expressed sympathy, noting his age. Marcos skipped a campaign rally in Tacloban in protest of Duterte's arrest. She then asked the Senate to conduct an investigation on the manner how Duterte was arrested.
Makabayan candidate Arlene Brosas called it "a glimpse of hope" for the victims' families, while fellow Makabayan candidate France Castro described it as "a concrete step towards accountability and justice" for victims of human rights abuses. PLM candidste Luke Espiritu expressed strong support for Duterte’s arrest, accusing the former president of severely damaging the nation's values and character, and calling the arrest "just". A rally protesting Duterte's arrest and asked for his return to the Philippines was held at the Liwasang Bonifacio, attended by PDP candidates.
Meanwhile, dela Rosa asked for the Senate to provide him protection in case the ICC issues a warrant for him. Escudero said "the Senate will not allow any of its members to be arrested within the Senate, especially during a session." Dela Rosa initially said that once the Senate's protection on him ends, he would have surrendered peacefully, saying he will not engage in a gunfight with the arresting team. However, a day later, he said that he is mulling on hiding from the authorities instead of surrendering.
On the Senate hearing regarding former president Duterte's arrest, Senator Marcos, who was the chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that Duterte's rights were violated as he was not given the chance to subject the ICC warrant via judicial review, and that Duterte was not given a physical copy of the warrant of arrest. Anthony Alcantara, executive director of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, said that they did not receive a red notice from Interpol, but instead a red diffusion, or a "wanted person notice". Jesus Crispin Remulla, the Secretary of Justice, invoked the commitment of the Philippines to Interpol and following Republic Act No. 9851, the law punishing crimes against humanity. Remulla refuted Marcos's pronouncements that ICC lacked jurisdiction as the Philippine justice system was working, pointing out that relatives of victims of extrajudicial killings found it impossible to file cases on local courts due to lack of police reports, and due to inaction from fiscals. On subsequent Alyansa rallies, President Marcos omitted his sister's name in his speeches. Vice President Duterte then later endorsed ten candidates: the nine candidates on the PDP slate, and Richard Mata, but not Senator Marcos.