![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Bilang-Pilipino-2025-logo-300x169.jpg\"){kind=logo}
by Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter
\nTikTok, a short-form video social media platform, encourages its Filipino users to report misinformation and harmful content on the platform in line with the Philippines’ 2025 midterm elections.\u00a0
\n\u201cIn a global community, it\u2019s natural for people to have different opinions but our goal is to operate on a shared set of facts and reality,\u201d Peachy A. Paderna, Philippine Public Policy Manager at TikTok, told reporters on Thursday.
\nIn January, the social media platform launched an in-app Philippine Elections Center site in partnership with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), and the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) to avoid the spread of misinformation, and promote reliable and trustworthy election-related content. \u00a0
\nTikTok\u2019s Philippine Election Center site houses verified \u201ccritical election resources\u201d such as voting procedures, polling locations, key election dates, and other essential information regarding elections.
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Peachy-Paderna-Philippine-Public-Policy-Manager-at-TikTok-300x200.jpg\")
According to Ms. Paderna, the platform\u2019s community guidelines are based on three key themes to ensure the safety of its users – balancing harm prevention and expression, embracing human dignity, and ensuring actions are fair.
\n\u201cWe also rely on the larger TikTok community to help us spot content that we may not have caught in the initial phase,\u201d Ms. Paderna added.
\nAlthough the social media company has over 40,000 professionals and machine technology that handles content moderation, Ms. Paderna said users are still encouraged to report harmful content.\u00a0
\nUsers can find the in-app report button under the share feature of the platform. Violence, hate and harassment, self-harm, nudity, and misinformation are some of the available reasons to file a report.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe want to make sure that our community of users stays safe even as we promote the diversity of ideas on the platform,\u201d she said. \u201cWe do not allow misinformation that may cause significant harm to individuals or society regardless of intent.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0
\n\n
Reported accounts and videos\u00a0
\nFrom July to September 2024, the video hosting site took down 4.5 million videos in the Philippines, of which 99.7% were removed proactively due to violations of the platform\u2019s community guidelines. In addition, 98% of the reported videos were removed within 24 hours.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cWhen content is taken down or acted on by our enforcement team, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the [content creator\u2019s] account will be taken down all the time,\u201d Ms. Paderna said.\u00a0
\nGetting banned on TikTok depends on the gravity of the violations. \u201cSometimes all it takes is one post, sometimes it takes multiple posts,\u201d the TikTok executive added.\u00a0
\nThe severity of violations can be categorized as significant and moderate harm. Content that leads to severe forms of physical harm, such as life-threatening injury or death, falls under ‘significant harm’. Meanwhile, moderate harm is false or misleading content regarding treatments or prevention of health-related issues that could not lead to life-threatening concerns.\u00a0\u00a0
\nMs. Paderna noted that mass reporting would not help the video or account be removed from the platform.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cOne thing that we want to remind everybody is that it’s not a matter of people reporting one account,\u201d she said. \u201cWe don’t need multiple reports to take down or pay attention to a violation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cWe want to ensure that actions are fair so that when we take enforcement action, it\u2019s always in fair way, it\u2019s always just, it\u2019s always rational,\u201d Ms. Paderna said.\u00a0
\n", "content_text": "by Almira Louise S. Martinez, Reporter\nTikTok, a short-form video social media platform, encourages its Filipino users to report misinformation and harmful content on the platform in line with the Philippines’ 2025 midterm elections.\u00a0\n\u201cIn a global community, it\u2019s natural for people to have different opinions but our goal is to operate on a shared set of facts and reality,\u201d Peachy A. Paderna, Philippine Public Policy Manager at TikTok, told reporters on Thursday.\nIn January, the social media platform launched an in-app Philippine Elections Center site in partnership with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), and the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) to avoid the spread of misinformation, and promote reliable and trustworthy election-related content. \u00a0\nTikTok\u2019s Philippine Election Center site houses verified \u201ccritical election resources\u201d such as voting procedures, polling locations, key election dates, and other essential information regarding elections.\nPeachy Paderna, Philippine Public Policy Manager at TikTok. | photo by Almira Louise S. Martinez, 大象传媒\nAccording to Ms. Paderna, the platform\u2019s community guidelines are based on three key themes to ensure the safety of its users – balancing harm prevention and expression, embracing human dignity, and ensuring actions are fair.\n\u201cWe also rely on the larger TikTok community to help us spot content that we may not have caught in the initial phase,\u201d Ms. Paderna added.\nAlthough the social media company has over 40,000 professionals and machine technology that handles content moderation, Ms. Paderna said users are still encouraged to report harmful content.\u00a0\nUsers can find the in-app report button under the share feature of the platform. Violence, hate and harassment, self-harm, nudity, and misinformation are some of the available reasons to file a report.\u00a0\n\u201cWe want to make sure that our community of users stays safe even as we promote the diversity of ideas on the platform,\u201d she said. \u201cWe do not allow misinformation that may cause significant harm to individuals or society regardless of intent.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\n \nReported accounts and videos\u00a0\nFrom July to September 2024, the video hosting site took down 4.5 million videos in the Philippines, of which 99.7% were removed proactively due to violations of the platform\u2019s community guidelines. In addition, 98% of the reported videos were removed within 24 hours.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cWhen content is taken down or acted on by our enforcement team, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the [content creator\u2019s] account will be taken down all the time,\u201d Ms. Paderna said.\u00a0\nGetting banned on TikTok depends on the gravity of the violations. \u201cSometimes all it takes is one post, sometimes it takes multiple posts,\u201d the TikTok executive added.\u00a0\nThe severity of violations can be categorized as significant and moderate harm. Content that leads to severe forms of physical harm, such as life-threatening injury or death, falls under ‘significant harm’. Meanwhile, moderate harm is false or misleading content regarding treatments or prevention of health-related issues that could not lead to life-threatening concerns.\u00a0\u00a0\nMs. Paderna noted that mass reporting would not help the video or account be removed from the platform.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cOne thing that we want to remind everybody is that it’s not a matter of people reporting one account,\u201d she said. \u201cWe don’t need multiple reports to take down or pay attention to a violation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cWe want to ensure that actions are fair so that when we take enforcement action, it\u2019s always in fair way, it\u2019s always just, it\u2019s always rational,\u201d Ms. Paderna said.\u00a0", "date_published": "2025-04-15T12:22:19+08:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-15T12:27:04+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/blexticauldulack/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1311207d4ac1996cb586666fe3d56418ca9f007d735b74eb19d3fa440df5c8b4?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/blexticauldulack/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1311207d4ac1996cb586666fe3d56418ca9f007d735b74eb19d3fa440df5c8b4?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/tiktok-5064078_1920.jpg", "tags": [ "almira louise s. martinez", "bilangpilipino2025", "content", "elections", "midterm", "misinformation", "Philippines", "TikTok", "Bilang Pilipino", "Technology", "The Nation" ] }, { "id": "/?p=666105", "url": "/the-nation/2025/04/12/666105/comelec-eyes-higher-overseas-voter-turnout-in-2025-elections/", "title": "COMELEC eyes higher overseas voter turnout in 2025 elections", "content_html": "by Edg Adrian A. Eva, Reporter
\nThe Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Friday that it is aiming for a higher overseas voter turnout in the 2025 elections, with the pilot implementation of online voting starting April 13.\u00a0\u00a0
In a speech during an election forum led by the Philippine Press Institute, COMELEC Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the poll body aims to achieve at least a 50% voter turnout from the more than 1.2 million overseas voters in the upcoming midterm election. \u00a0
\nTo promote voter participation, Mr. Garcia said that the COMELEC, authorized by Republic Act No. 10590, which amended the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003, is mandated to explore new voting systems, such as online voting.\u00a0
\nOverseas voters will need to undergo the pre-voting enrollment process before being able to cast their votes from April 13 to May 12.\u00a0
\nMr. Garcia said that the new voting method is a viable option for overseas voters who may lack access to Philippine embassies and consulates, especially the more than 300,000 Filipino seafarers.
\n“Kasi kailangan pa nila dumaan\u00a0 sa\u00a0 isang\u00a0 pier,\u00a0 hahanapin pa ang\u00a0 embahada,\u00a0 konsulada\u00a0 para\u00a0 lang\u00a0 sila\u00a0 makaboto [You see, they still need to go through a pier, then look for the embassy or consulate just so they can vote],” Mr. Garcia said. \u00a0
\n“Nobody should be left behind; everybody should be allowed to vote,” he added.\u00a0\u00a0
\nMs. Garcia said this also aims to supplement overseas absentee voting by mail, which has\u00a0 unfortunately seen a non-turnout rate of around 90%.\u00a0
\n“Sana\u00a0 kahit\u00a0 midterm\u00a0 election\u00a0 at\u00a0 least\u00a0 boboto\u00a0 ka gamit\u00a0 lang\u00a0 ang\u00a0 cellphone,\u00a0 laptop\u00a0 mo, o kaya\u00a0 ipad,\u00a0 palagay ko naman\u00a0 po\u00a0 kahit\u00a0 nasa\u00a0 bahay\u00a0 o\u00a0 nagtatrabaho makakaboto ka [I hope that even for midterm elections, you can vote using just your cellphone, laptop, or even an iPad. I believe that whether you’re at home or working, you’ll still be able to vote],\u201d Mr. Garcia said.\u00a0\u00a0
\nAs of Friday, Mr. Garcia said the COMELEC has recorded more than 40,000 voters who have undergone the pre-voting enrollment process for internet voting.\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe commission is optimistic that this number will increase as the month-long voting period progresses.
\n", "content_text": "by Edg Adrian A. Eva, Reporter\nThe Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Friday that it is aiming for a higher overseas voter turnout in the 2025 elections, with the pilot implementation of online voting starting April 13.\u00a0\u00a0\nIn a speech during an election forum led by the Philippine Press Institute, COMELEC Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the poll body aims to achieve at least a 50% voter turnout from the more than 1.2 million overseas voters in the upcoming midterm election. \u00a0\nTo promote voter participation, Mr. Garcia said that the COMELEC, authorized by Republic Act No. 10590, which amended the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003, is mandated to explore new voting systems, such as online voting.\u00a0\nOverseas voters will need to undergo the pre-voting enrollment process before being able to cast their votes from April 13 to May 12.\u00a0\nMr. Garcia said that the new voting method is a viable option for overseas voters who may lack access to Philippine embassies and consulates, especially the more than 300,000 Filipino seafarers.\n“Kasi kailangan pa nila dumaan\u00a0 sa\u00a0 isang\u00a0 pier,\u00a0 hahanapin pa ang\u00a0 embahada,\u00a0 konsulada\u00a0 para\u00a0 lang\u00a0 sila\u00a0 makaboto [You see, they still need to go through a pier, then look for the embassy or consulate just so they can vote],” Mr. Garcia said. \u00a0\n“Nobody should be left behind; everybody should be allowed to vote,” he added.\u00a0\u00a0\nMs. Garcia said this also aims to supplement overseas absentee voting by mail, which has\u00a0 unfortunately seen a non-turnout rate of around 90%.\u00a0\n“Sana\u00a0 kahit\u00a0 midterm\u00a0 election\u00a0 at\u00a0 least\u00a0 boboto\u00a0 ka gamit\u00a0 lang\u00a0 ang\u00a0 cellphone,\u00a0 laptop\u00a0 mo, o kaya\u00a0 ipad,\u00a0 palagay ko naman\u00a0 po\u00a0 kahit\u00a0 nasa\u00a0 bahay\u00a0 o\u00a0 nagtatrabaho makakaboto ka [I hope that even for midterm elections, you can vote using just your cellphone, laptop, or even an iPad. I believe that whether you’re at home or working, you’ll still be able to vote],\u201d Mr. Garcia said.\u00a0\u00a0\nAs of Friday, Mr. Garcia said the COMELEC has recorded more than 40,000 voters who have undergone the pre-voting enrollment process for internet voting.\u00a0\u00a0\nThe commission is optimistic that this number will increase as the month-long voting period progresses.", "date_published": "2025-04-12T16:59:14+08:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-15T17:10:18+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/blexticauldulack/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1311207d4ac1996cb586666fe3d56418ca9f007d735b74eb19d3fa440df5c8b4?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/blexticauldulack/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1311207d4ac1996cb586666fe3d56418ca9f007d735b74eb19d3fa440df5c8b4?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/COMELEC-Chairman-Erwin-M.-Garcia.jpg", "tags": [ "bilangpilipino2025", "comelec", "Edg Adrian A. Eva", "erwin garcia", "overseas voters", "Bilang Pilipino", "The Nation" ] }, { "id": "/?p=627759", "url": "/the-nation/2024/10/14/627759/tulfos-are-top-senatorial-bets-for-2025-polls/", "title": "Tulfos are top senatorial bets for 2025 polls", "content_html": "![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/450954069_899506065554077_2330350958195881439_n-300x300.jpg\")
By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
BROTHERS Erwin and Bienvenido \u201cBen\u201d T. Tulfo are the top senatorial bets of Filipinos for the 2025 midterm elections, an October survey, conducted after the filing of certificate of candidacy (CoC), found.
\nMarket research firm Acquisition Apps, Inc. reported that ACT-CIS Rep. Tulfo maintained his lead with 62.33% of respondents saying they would vote for him, up from 58% in September.
\nHis brother, Ben, who is a broadcaster and media executive, tailed Rep. Tulfo in the overall ranking with 49% voter preference after he filed his CoC, up from 42.96%.
\n\u201cThe Tulfo brothers have this image that they will fight for you,\u201d President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Xavier D. Pe\u00f1aflor told 大象传媒 on the sidelines of the survey launch in Makati City.
\nHe noted the brothers have a strongman personality close to former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, which makes them appealing to voters. Filipino voters, he said, still look for such personality in potential leaders.
\nThe Tulfo brothers are also \u201crelatable\u201d and \u201cpro-people,\u201d as exemplified by their social media presence, Mr. Pe\u00f1aflor said, which added to their appeal.
\nFormer Senate President Vicente \u201cTito\u201d C. Sotto III ranked third with 46.50% this month, a slight increase from 44% last month; while reealectionist senators Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano and Christopher Lawrence \u201cBong\u201d T. Go ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, with 46.08% and 45.50%.
\nMr. Pe\u00f1aflor said the former Duterte aide Mr. Go has detached himself from the shadow of the former president and is now known for his Malasakit Centers. This allowed him to boost his popularity among voters despite his former boss facing scrutiny over his deadly drug war.
\nBoxing icon turned lawmaker Emmanuel \u201cManny\u201d D. Pacquiao placed sixth with 42.21%, followed by former Senator Panfilo \u201cPing\u201d M. Lacson with 38.92%. Both politicians ran in the 2022 national elections as presidents but lost.
\nAlso among the Top 12 were Makati Mayor Mar-len Abigail \u201cAbby\u201d S. Binay (36.17%), former Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. (33.42%), SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta (31.88%), reelectionists Senator Manuel \u201cLito\u201d M. Lapid (31.67%), and Senator Francis N. Tolentino (31.46%).
\nDARK HORSE
\nMr. Pe\u00f1aflor said there are three possible \u201cdark horses\u201d in the tight senate race, particularly former senator Francis Pancratius \u201cKiko\u201d N. Pangilinan (28.29%), Las Pi\u00f1as Rep. Camille A. Villar (24.92%), and former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis \u201cChavit\u201d C. Singson (14.67%).
He said Mr. Pangilinan, who is leveraging TikTok, shows a strong social media standing. The survey also showed that Ms. Villar is among the biggest gainers after climbing 8-points to 24.92% from only 16% in September.\u00a0 \u00a0
\nMr. Singson, meanwhile, is considered an \u201coutlier,\u201d Mr. Pe\u00f1aflor said.
\nOn Senator Maria Imelda Josefa \u201cImee\u201d R. Marcos\u2019 ranking, Mr. Pe\u00f1aflor said her supporters, especially from her bailiwick in Northern Philippines felt betrayed when she exited from her brother, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.\u2019s senatorial slate.
\n\u201cThey feel betrayed by her aligning with the Vice President…That\u2019s the reason why she went independent and that\u2019s the reason why she\u2019s number 18,\u201d he told 大象传媒.
\n\u201cWhen we started monitoring this, Senator Imee Marcos was in the top 8…So, we were really surprised that she came down, and it\u2019s related to our current events.\u201d
\nThe survey was administered between Oct. 10-12 via a mobile-based respondent application with a sample size of 2,400 registered voters.
\n", "content_text": "By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter\nBROTHERS Erwin and Bienvenido \u201cBen\u201d T. Tulfo are the top senatorial bets of Filipinos for the 2025 midterm elections, an October survey, conducted after the filing of certificate of candidacy (CoC), found.\nMarket research firm Acquisition Apps, Inc. reported that ACT-CIS Rep. Tulfo maintained his lead with 62.33% of respondents saying they would vote for him, up from 58% in September.\nHis brother, Ben, who is a broadcaster and media executive, tailed Rep. Tulfo in the overall ranking with 49% voter preference after he filed his CoC, up from 42.96%.\n\u201cThe Tulfo brothers have this image that they will fight for you,\u201d President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Xavier D. Pe\u00f1aflor told 大象传媒 on the sidelines of the survey launch in Makati City.\nHe noted the brothers have a strongman personality close to former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, which makes them appealing to voters. Filipino voters, he said, still look for such personality in potential leaders.\nThe Tulfo brothers are also \u201crelatable\u201d and \u201cpro-people,\u201d as exemplified by their social media presence, Mr. Pe\u00f1aflor said, which added to their appeal.\nFormer Senate President Vicente \u201cTito\u201d C. Sotto III ranked third with 46.50% this month, a slight increase from 44% last month; while reealectionist senators Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano and Christopher Lawrence \u201cBong\u201d T. Go ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, with 46.08% and 45.50%.\nMr. Pe\u00f1aflor said the former Duterte aide Mr. Go has detached himself from the shadow of the former president and is now known for his Malasakit Centers. This allowed him to boost his popularity among voters despite his former boss facing scrutiny over his deadly drug war.\nBoxing icon turned lawmaker Emmanuel \u201cManny\u201d D. Pacquiao placed sixth with 42.21%, followed by former Senator Panfilo \u201cPing\u201d M. Lacson with 38.92%. Both politicians ran in the 2022 national elections as presidents but lost.\nAlso among the Top 12 were Makati Mayor Mar-len Abigail \u201cAbby\u201d S. Binay (36.17%), former Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. (33.42%), SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta (31.88%), reelectionists Senator Manuel \u201cLito\u201d M. Lapid (31.67%), and Senator Francis N. Tolentino (31.46%).\nDARK HORSE\nMr. Pe\u00f1aflor said there are three possible \u201cdark horses\u201d in the tight senate race, particularly former senator Francis Pancratius \u201cKiko\u201d N. Pangilinan (28.29%), Las Pi\u00f1as Rep. Camille A. Villar (24.92%), and former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis \u201cChavit\u201d C. Singson (14.67%).\nHe said Mr. Pangilinan, who is leveraging TikTok, shows a strong social media standing. The survey also showed that Ms. Villar is among the biggest gainers after climbing 8-points to 24.92% from only 16% in September.\u00a0 \u00a0\nMr. Singson, meanwhile, is considered an \u201coutlier,\u201d Mr. Pe\u00f1aflor said.\nOn Senator Maria Imelda Josefa \u201cImee\u201d R. Marcos\u2019 ranking, Mr. Pe\u00f1aflor said her supporters, especially from her bailiwick in Northern Philippines felt betrayed when she exited from her brother, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.\u2019s senatorial slate.\n\u201cThey feel betrayed by her aligning with the Vice President…That\u2019s the reason why she went independent and that\u2019s the reason why she\u2019s number 18,\u201d he told 大象传媒.\n\u201cWhen we started monitoring this, Senator Imee Marcos was in the top 8…So, we were really surprised that she came down, and it\u2019s related to our current events.\u201d\nThe survey was administered between Oct. 10-12 via a mobile-based respondent application with a sample size of 2,400 registered voters.", "date_published": "2024-10-14T21:46:32+08:00", "date_modified": "2024-10-17T19:46:34+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/tulfo-bros.jpg", "tags": [ "bilangpilipino2025", "Chloe Mari A. Hufana", "Bilang Pilipino", "The Nation" ], "summary": "BROTHERS Erwin and Bienvenido \u201cBen\u201d T. Tulfo are the top senatorial bets of Filipinos for the 2025 midterm elections, an October survey, conducted after the filing of certificate of candidacy (CoC), found." }, { "id": "/?p=626895", "url": "/the-nation/2024/10/09/626895/extensive-reforms-in-party-list-system-needed-group-says/", "title": "Extensive reforms in party-list system needed, Group says", "content_html": "THE GOVERNMENT should comprehensively reform the congressional party-list system by banning political dynasties from participating, a political economy and business consultancy group said.
In a position paper, the Political Economic Elemental Researchers and Strategists (PEERS) also said the government should strictly monitor campaign financing, and level the playing field for marginalized groups amid the hijacking of political elites.
\n\u201cTo prevent political parties, wealthy individuals, and oligarchs from using the party-list system as a backdoor to Congress, a stricter and more explicit legal definition of \u2018marginalized and underrepresented sectors\u2019 should be established,\u201d according to the group.
\nThe position paper comes just as the Commission on Elections ended the filing period for certificates of candidacy, which saw 184 Senatorial aspirants and 190 party-list groups seeking congressional seats.
\nApart from banning political dynasties, PEERS said the government should put a cap on financial contributions to party-list groups, with a stricter reporting requirement on campaign spending to prevent political elites from bankrolling them.
\n\u201cParty-list groups should disclose their donors. A watchdog agency should audit these disclosures to ensure the funds are not from wealthy individuals or corporations that do not align with the marginalized sectors,\u201d it said.
\nMoreover, changes to the party-list system should include the implementation of seat quotas for sectoral groups, ensuring balanced representation in Congress and revisiting the 2% national voting threshold for political parties, PEERS noted.
\nA party-list group must get at least 2% of the total national vote to secure a seat at the House of Representatives.
\nThe current voting threshold could \u201cfavor more established or wealthier groups,\u201d PEERS said, urging the government to lower the vote requirement or implement a proportional voting system, where received votes directly correspond to the number of seats a party-list can win.
\n\u201cThe number of groups participating in the party-list system has grown, but there has also been a shift toward more politically connected or mainstream parties securing these seats,\u201d a part of PEERS\u2019 position paper stated.
\n\u201cWhile some genuinely marginalized groups continue to gain representation, others argue that the system has been diluted, with powerful families and political dynasties fielding candidates through this mechanism.\u201d
\nThe Philippine party-list system was created by the 1987 Constitution, with its framers seeing the system as allowing underrepresented sectors to participate in the lawmaking process. It has since been expanded in 2013 after the Supreme Court ruled that political parties could also participate in the party-list system.
\n\u201cThis broadened the system\u2019s scope, prompting criticisms that traditional political elites and powerful interest groups were co-opting the party-list slots, weakening the system\u2019s original intent,\u201d PEERS said, referring to the tribunal ruling a decade ago.
\nThe government should consider reducing the maximum seats for groups to provide more \u201cdiverse representation\u201d in the chamber. Party-lists are currently limited to three seats in the chamber.
\nA certain percentage of congressional seats must be allocated to specific sectors, including labor, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, among others, for more inclusive representation, it added.
\nAt present, about 80% of the more than 300 congressmen are district representatives, while the rest of the seats are allotted to party-lists.
\nFurther, PEERS said the Commission should be strengthened so it could screen party-list groups vying for a seat in Congress. \u201cThis may involve requiring groups to provide proof of grassroots organizing and a transparent platform that reflects the interests of marginalized sectors.\u201d
\nParty-lists must also be required to submit yearly reports detailing the bills and services they rendered to the sectors they supposedly represent, PEERS added. Erring groups should potentially be barred from the system, it added.
\nThey also pushed for a multi-stakeholder team composed of the academe, sectoral groups, and election watchdogs that would convene for regular reviews to ensure the party-list system still adheres with its \u201cconstitutional goals.\u201d \u2014 Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
\n", "content_text": "THE GOVERNMENT should comprehensively reform the congressional party-list system by banning political dynasties from participating, a political economy and business consultancy group said.\nIn a position paper, the Political Economic Elemental Researchers and Strategists (PEERS) also said the government should strictly monitor campaign financing, and level the playing field for marginalized groups amid the hijacking of political elites.\n\u201cTo prevent political parties, wealthy individuals, and oligarchs from using the party-list system as a backdoor to Congress, a stricter and more explicit legal definition of \u2018marginalized and underrepresented sectors\u2019 should be established,\u201d according to the group.\nThe position paper comes just as the Commission on Elections ended the filing period for certificates of candidacy, which saw 184 Senatorial aspirants and 190 party-list groups seeking congressional seats.\nApart from banning political dynasties, PEERS said the government should put a cap on financial contributions to party-list groups, with a stricter reporting requirement on campaign spending to prevent political elites from bankrolling them.\n\u201cParty-list groups should disclose their donors. A watchdog agency should audit these disclosures to ensure the funds are not from wealthy individuals or corporations that do not align with the marginalized sectors,\u201d it said.\nMoreover, changes to the party-list system should include the implementation of seat quotas for sectoral groups, ensuring balanced representation in Congress and revisiting the 2% national voting threshold for political parties, PEERS noted.\nA party-list group must get at least 2% of the total national vote to secure a seat at the House of Representatives.\nThe current voting threshold could \u201cfavor more established or wealthier groups,\u201d PEERS said, urging the government to lower the vote requirement or implement a proportional voting system, where received votes directly correspond to the number of seats a party-list can win.\n\u201cThe number of groups participating in the party-list system has grown, but there has also been a shift toward more politically connected or mainstream parties securing these seats,\u201d a part of PEERS\u2019 position paper stated.\n\u201cWhile some genuinely marginalized groups continue to gain representation, others argue that the system has been diluted, with powerful families and political dynasties fielding candidates through this mechanism.\u201d\nThe Philippine party-list system was created by the 1987 Constitution, with its framers seeing the system as allowing underrepresented sectors to participate in the lawmaking process. It has since been expanded in 2013 after the Supreme Court ruled that political parties could also participate in the party-list system.\n\u201cThis broadened the system\u2019s scope, prompting criticisms that traditional political elites and powerful interest groups were co-opting the party-list slots, weakening the system\u2019s original intent,\u201d PEERS said, referring to the tribunal ruling a decade ago.\nThe government should consider reducing the maximum seats for groups to provide more \u201cdiverse representation\u201d in the chamber. Party-lists are currently limited to three seats in the chamber.\nA certain percentage of congressional seats must be allocated to specific sectors, including labor, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, among others, for more inclusive representation, it added.\nAt present, about 80% of the more than 300 congressmen are district representatives, while the rest of the seats are allotted to party-lists.\nFurther, PEERS said the Commission should be strengthened so it could screen party-list groups vying for a seat in Congress. \u201cThis may involve requiring groups to provide proof of grassroots organizing and a transparent platform that reflects the interests of marginalized sectors.\u201d\nParty-lists must also be required to submit yearly reports detailing the bills and services they rendered to the sectors they supposedly represent, PEERS added. Erring groups should potentially be barred from the system, it added.\nThey also pushed for a multi-stakeholder team composed of the academe, sectoral groups, and election watchdogs that would convene for regular reviews to ensure the party-list system still adheres with its \u201cconstitutional goals.\u201d \u2014 Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio", "date_published": "2024-10-09T21:28:01+08:00", "date_modified": "2024-10-17T19:42:59+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-congress.jpg", "tags": [ "bilangpilipino2025", "Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio", "Bilang Pilipino", "The Nation" ] }, { "id": "/?p=626888", "url": "/the-nation/2024/10/09/626888/coc-filing-clash-kills-1-wounds-4-in-shariff-aguak/", "title": "CoC filing clash kills 1, wounds 4 in Shariff Aguak", "content_html": "COTABATO CITY \u2014 Local officials have tightened security in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur after a community watchman was killed while four others were hurt in a clash on Tuesday between residents and group of a supposed vice mayoral candidate who failed to file candidacy due to legal constraints.
Lt. Col. Regie G. Albellera, chief of the Shariff Aguak Municipal Police, and officials of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, confirmed on Wednesday that a member of a Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team, who was hurt in the incident, died at a hospital at past 7 p.m., Tuesday.
\nLocal officials told reporters the incident left Col. Montassir Eskak of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Maguindanao Provincial Police Office, a resident of Shariff Aguak, and two others in the group that provoked the hostilities, wounded.
\nPolice and military officials said the incident erupted after the municipal office of the Commission on Elections failed to approve the candidacy for vice-mayor of a Maguindanaon man who only showed a certificate of nomination and acceptance from a political party, which cannot be used as a basis for the filing of his certificate of candidacy.
\nThe vice mayoral aspirant, whose group figured in the hostilities, had eventually filed a CoC at the Comelec regional office in Cotabato City, according to PRO-BAR officials. \u2014 John Felix M. Unson
\n", "content_text": "COTABATO CITY \u2014 Local officials have tightened security in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur after a community watchman was killed while four others were hurt in a clash on Tuesday between residents and group of a supposed vice mayoral candidate who failed to file candidacy due to legal constraints.\nLt. Col. Regie G. Albellera, chief of the Shariff Aguak Municipal Police, and officials of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, confirmed on Wednesday that a member of a Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team, who was hurt in the incident, died at a hospital at past 7 p.m., Tuesday.\nLocal officials told reporters the incident left Col. Montassir Eskak of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company of the Maguindanao Provincial Police Office, a resident of Shariff Aguak, and two others in the group that provoked the hostilities, wounded.\nPolice and military officials said the incident erupted after the municipal office of the Commission on Elections failed to approve the candidacy for vice-mayor of a Maguindanaon man who only showed a certificate of nomination and acceptance from a political party, which cannot be used as a basis for the filing of his certificate of candidacy.\nThe vice mayoral aspirant, whose group figured in the hostilities, had eventually filed a CoC at the Comelec regional office in Cotabato City, according to PRO-BAR officials. \u2014 John Felix M. Unson", "date_published": "2024-10-09T21:23:49+08:00", "date_modified": "2024-10-17T19:42:48+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/the-nation-default.jpg", "tags": [ "bilangpilipino2025", "John Felix M. Unson", "Bilang Pilipino", "The Nation" ] }, { "id": "/?p=626557", "url": "/the-nation/2024/10/08/626557/senate-at-a-new-low-as-candidacy-filing-period-ends/", "title": "Senate at a \u2018new low\u2019 as candidacy filing period ends", "content_html": "By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter
THE FILING of candidacies for the 2025 midterm elections has shown that Philippine dynastic politicians have become more brazen decades after the restoration of formal democracy in 1986, with the Senate experiencing a \u201cnew low\u201d as it\u2019s dragged into sibling politics.
\n\u201cWe have seen more and more dynasty members filing their certificates of candidacy, as if they are entitled to it. They are more brazen than before,\u201d Arjan P. Aguirre, who teaches political science at Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat on Tuesday.
\nHe said this year\u2019s filing of candidacies has also shown that the party-list system is being hijacked by wealthy people, turning it into a \u201cpopularity contest for celebrities\u201d and \u201ca new enterprise for business people.\u201d
\nThe period for the filing of candidacy papers ended on Tuesday. As of Monday, 127 people were seeking a seat at the Senate, including two brothers of Senator Rafael \u201cRaffy\u201d T. Tulfo, a sister of Senator Alan Peter C. Cayetano, and the sister of Senator Mark A. Villar, whose term-limited mother is seeking a mayoralty post.
\n\u201cIn the Senate, we are witnessing a new low with the possibility of having three siblings in the 24-seat chamber, another family member replacing the term-limited mother, a sister who plans to stay with a brother, a sister replacing an outgoing sister, and a sister of the sitting president wanting to get re-elected,\u201d Mr. Aguirre said.
\n\u201cShould they win, we will have a total of nine senators who are siblings \u2014 three Tulfos, two Cayetanos, two Villars and two Ejercito-Estrada,\u201d he explained. \u201cThey will join other members of the Senate who are also members of dynasties.\u201d
\nDECLINING INDEPENDENCE
\nSince the Senate is increasingly becoming a hub for dynastic politicians, its level of independence is declining, said Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila.
\u201cIt means there\u2019s not much radical progress to be expected on policymaking, its level of independence is not always guaranteed,\u201d he said via Messenger chat.
\nMr. Juliano said at the national and local levels, many established dynasties are just being challenged and replaced by \u201ceither scions of dynasties and established families as well.\u201d
\nIn Batangas province, the seventh most vote-rich province in 2022, former lawmaker Vilma Santos-Recto, wife of Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto, is running for the gubernatorial post with his son Luis, who is a television actor, as her running mate.
\nHer youngest son Ryan is running for representative of the province\u2019s sixth district.
\nAbout 40 kilometers south of Batangas, a similar situation is seen: Incumbent Oriental Mindoro Govenor Humerlito \u201cBonz\u201d Dolor is running for his last reelection with his brother, Provincial Administrator Hubert A. Dolor, as his running mate.
\nIn Pampanga province north of the capital Manila, dynastic politics also thrives: Governor Dennis \u201cDelta\u201d G. Pineda seeks to take the position of her mother Vice Governor Lilia \u201cNanay\u201d G. Pineda, who is running for the gubernatorial post.
\nIn Davao City in southern Philippines, former president Rodrigo R. Duterte is running for mayor alongside his son, incumbent Mayor Sebastian \u201cBaste\u201d Z. Duterte.
\nThe strongman politician\u2019s oldest son, Davao Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte, seeks another reelection. All the while, her sister Vice-President Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio has refused to participate in House hearings amid questions on her office\u2019s previous and proposed budgets.
\n\u201cThere\u2019s not much new to say about the local polls especially since small or thin dynasties continue to be normalized and accepted \u2014 there seems to be zero barriers to whole nuclear political families becoming involved in the polls,\u201d Mr. Juliano said.
\n\u201cWhile there are definitely brazen families, we cannot really expect much when there\u2019s no money or resources going around for potential opposition candidates.\u201d
\n\u201cIf we want a serious shift in local elections, there really needs to be a conversation on serious and smart campaign financing for the opposition,\u201d the academic said.
\nMeanwhile, De La Salle University political science professor Anthony Lawrence Borja said that while there are more old names trying to return to power, there are new entries from opposition groups including the senatoriables of left-leaning Koalisyong Makabayan.
\n\u201cAs of now, it appears that for the legislative race, it is more diverse or even polarized in terms of candidates\u2019 backgrounds,\u201d he said via Messenger chat.
\n\u201cOn one hand, we have new entries from the Makabayan bloc, other progressive candidates, and well-meaning celebrities,\u201d he added. \u201cOn the other, we have a lot of old names trying to return to power, climb-up the greasy pole, or perpetuate their respective dynasties or factional blocs.\u201d
\nMakabayan has already fielded 11 candidates for the Senate representing various sectors including fisherfolk, farmers, women, teachers, and the urban poor.
\nTwo labor leaders under Partido Lakas ng Masa, another opposition group, are also seeking a Senate seat.
\nMeanwhile, opposition personalities Paolo Benigno \u201cBam\u201d Aguirre Aquino IV and Francis Pancratius \u201cKiko\u201d Nepomuceno Pangilinan are seeking to return to the Senate. Senator Ana Theresia \u201cRisa\u201d Hontiveros-Baraquel told One News\u2019 The Big Story on Monday that she will campaign Mr. Aquino and Mr. Pangilinan and should they win, they would join the Senate minority.
\nThe Senate minority is currently composed of Ms. Hontiveros and Senator Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III, who is running for congressman of Marikina City.
\nMr. Borja said the civil society and the rest of the public need to \u201ckeep an eye\u201d on the implementation of nuisance candidate provisions and developments in coalition-building efforts ahead of the elections.
\nIndependent or non-aligned candidacies \u2014 genuine or not \u2014 may also thrive in next year\u2019s elections, he said.
\nLAST DAY
\nMr. Pangilinan filed his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) to run for the Senate on the last day of registration on Tuesday. He ran as Vice President in 2022, but lost to Ms. Duterte. He aso previously served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013, and from 2016 to 2022.
A staunch advocate of agriculture, he said he aims to replicate his contribution under the second Aquino administration which brought down rice inflation to 8% from 15% within a year in 2014.
\n\u201cI want to return again to solve the grievances of our countrymen,\u201d he said in Filipino after filing his CoC at the Manila Hotel. \u201cWe are willing to put politics aside to help the government because hunger has no color.\u201d
\nAlso among those who filed for a senatorial seat is indicted televangelist Apollo C. Quiboloy, whose CoC was received by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) through an authorized representative.
\nThe self-appointed son of God is facing charges of child abuse and human trafficking before the Davao City and Pasig City courts, respectively.
\nHe is also facing several criminal charges in the United States, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, conspiracy, and bulk cash smuggling.
\nLast month, he \u201csurrendered\u201d to the National Police after a weeks-long manhunt.
\nMeanwhile, former Manila City Mayor Francisco \u201cIsko\u201d M. Domagoso aims for a city hall comeback after failing to secure the presidential post in 2022.
\nAs of writing, a total of 127 Senate hopefuls have registered and 137 as party-list representatives.
\nThe Philippines will hold midterm elections next year. Filipinos will elect their congressmen, mayors, vice mayors, and members of city councils on May 12, 2025. Twelve of the 24-member Senate will also be replaced. \u2014 with Chloe Mari A. Hufana
\n", "content_text": "By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter\nTHE FILING of candidacies for the 2025 midterm elections has shown that Philippine dynastic politicians have become more brazen decades after the restoration of formal democracy in 1986, with the Senate experiencing a \u201cnew low\u201d as it\u2019s dragged into sibling politics. \n\u201cWe have seen more and more dynasty members filing their certificates of candidacy, as if they are entitled to it. They are more brazen than before,\u201d Arjan P. Aguirre, who teaches political science at Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat on Tuesday.\nHe said this year\u2019s filing of candidacies has also shown that the party-list system is being hijacked by wealthy people, turning it into a \u201cpopularity contest for celebrities\u201d and \u201ca new enterprise for business people.\u201d\nThe period for the filing of candidacy papers ended on Tuesday. As of Monday, 127 people were seeking a seat at the Senate, including two brothers of Senator Rafael \u201cRaffy\u201d T. Tulfo, a sister of Senator Alan Peter C. Cayetano, and the sister of Senator Mark A. Villar, whose term-limited mother is seeking a mayoralty post. \n\u201cIn the Senate, we are witnessing a new low with the possibility of having three siblings in the 24-seat chamber, another family member replacing the term-limited mother, a sister who plans to stay with a brother, a sister replacing an outgoing sister, and a sister of the sitting president wanting to get re-elected,\u201d Mr. Aguirre said.\n\u201cShould they win, we will have a total of nine senators who are siblings \u2014 three Tulfos, two Cayetanos, two Villars and two Ejercito-Estrada,\u201d he explained. \u201cThey will join other members of the Senate who are also members of dynasties.\u201d\nDECLINING INDEPENDENCE\nSince the Senate is increasingly becoming a hub for dynastic politicians, its level of independence is declining, said Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila.\n\u201cIt means there\u2019s not much radical progress to be expected on policymaking, its level of independence is not always guaranteed,\u201d he said via Messenger chat.\nMr. Juliano said at the national and local levels, many established dynasties are just being challenged and replaced by \u201ceither scions of dynasties and established families as well.\u201d\nIn Batangas province, the seventh most vote-rich province in 2022, former lawmaker Vilma Santos-Recto, wife of Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto, is running for the gubernatorial post with his son Luis, who is a television actor, as her running mate.\nHer youngest son Ryan is running for representative of the province\u2019s sixth district.\nAbout 40 kilometers south of Batangas, a similar situation is seen: Incumbent Oriental Mindoro Govenor Humerlito \u201cBonz\u201d Dolor is running for his last reelection with his brother, Provincial Administrator Hubert A. Dolor, as his running mate.\nIn Pampanga province north of the capital Manila, dynastic politics also thrives: Governor Dennis \u201cDelta\u201d G. Pineda seeks to take the position of her mother Vice Governor Lilia \u201cNanay\u201d G. Pineda, who is running for the gubernatorial post.\nIn Davao City in southern Philippines, former president Rodrigo R. Duterte is running for mayor alongside his son, incumbent Mayor Sebastian \u201cBaste\u201d Z. Duterte.\nThe strongman politician\u2019s oldest son, Davao Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte, seeks another reelection. All the while, her sister Vice-President Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio has refused to participate in House hearings amid questions on her office\u2019s previous and proposed budgets.\n\u201cThere\u2019s not much new to say about the local polls especially since small or thin dynasties continue to be normalized and accepted \u2014 there seems to be zero barriers to whole nuclear political families becoming involved in the polls,\u201d Mr. Juliano said.\n\u201cWhile there are definitely brazen families, we cannot really expect much when there\u2019s no money or resources going around for potential opposition candidates.\u201d\n\u201cIf we want a serious shift in local elections, there really needs to be a conversation on serious and smart campaign financing for the opposition,\u201d the academic said.\nMeanwhile, De La Salle University political science professor Anthony Lawrence Borja said that while there are more old names trying to return to power, there are new entries from opposition groups including the senatoriables of left-leaning Koalisyong Makabayan.\n\u201cAs of now, it appears that for the legislative race, it is more diverse or even polarized in terms of candidates\u2019 backgrounds,\u201d he said via Messenger chat.\n\u201cOn one hand, we have new entries from the Makabayan bloc, other progressive candidates, and well-meaning celebrities,\u201d he added. \u201cOn the other, we have a lot of old names trying to return to power, climb-up the greasy pole, or perpetuate their respective dynasties or factional blocs.\u201d\nMakabayan has already fielded 11 candidates for the Senate representing various sectors including fisherfolk, farmers, women, teachers, and the urban poor.\nTwo labor leaders under Partido Lakas ng Masa, another opposition group, are also seeking a Senate seat.\nMeanwhile, opposition personalities Paolo Benigno \u201cBam\u201d Aguirre Aquino IV and Francis Pancratius \u201cKiko\u201d Nepomuceno Pangilinan are seeking to return to the Senate. Senator Ana Theresia \u201cRisa\u201d Hontiveros-Baraquel told One News\u2019 The Big Story on Monday that she will campaign Mr. Aquino and Mr. Pangilinan and should they win, they would join the Senate minority.\nThe Senate minority is currently composed of Ms. Hontiveros and Senator Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III, who is running for congressman of Marikina City.\nMr. Borja said the civil society and the rest of the public need to \u201ckeep an eye\u201d on the implementation of nuisance candidate provisions and developments in coalition-building efforts ahead of the elections.\nIndependent or non-aligned candidacies \u2014 genuine or not \u2014 may also thrive in next year\u2019s elections, he said.\nLAST DAY\nMr. Pangilinan filed his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) to run for the Senate on the last day of registration on Tuesday. He ran as Vice President in 2022, but lost to Ms. Duterte. He aso previously served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013, and from 2016 to 2022.\nA staunch advocate of agriculture, he said he aims to replicate his contribution under the second Aquino administration which brought down rice inflation to 8% from 15% within a year in 2014.\n\u201cI want to return again to solve the grievances of our countrymen,\u201d he said in Filipino after filing his CoC at the Manila Hotel. \u201cWe are willing to put politics aside to help the government because hunger has no color.\u201d\nAlso among those who filed for a senatorial seat is indicted televangelist Apollo C. Quiboloy, whose CoC was received by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) through an authorized representative.\nThe self-appointed son of God is facing charges of child abuse and human trafficking before the Davao City and Pasig City courts, respectively.\nHe is also facing several criminal charges in the United States, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, conspiracy, and bulk cash smuggling.\nLast month, he \u201csurrendered\u201d to the National Police after a weeks-long manhunt.\nMeanwhile, former Manila City Mayor Francisco \u201cIsko\u201d M. Domagoso aims for a city hall comeback after failing to secure the presidential post in 2022.\nAs of writing, a total of 127 Senate hopefuls have registered and 137 as party-list representatives.\nThe Philippines will hold midterm elections next year. Filipinos will elect their congressmen, mayors, vice mayors, and members of city councils on May 12, 2025. Twelve of the 24-member Senate will also be replaced. \u2014 with Chloe Mari A. Hufana", "date_published": "2024-10-08T21:04:53+08:00", "date_modified": "2024-10-17T19:43:26+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/02-Senate-Hall-1024x600-1.jpg", "tags": [ "bilangpilipino2025", "Chloe Mari A. Hufana", "Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza", "Bilang Pilipino", "Editors' Picks", "The Nation" ] }, { "id": "/?p=625738", "url": "/the-nation/2024/10/03/625738/duterte-allies-seek-senate-reelection/", "title": "Duterte allies seek Senate reelection", "content_html": "REELECTIONIST Senators Ronald \u201cBato\u201d M. dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence \u201cBong\u201d T. Go, friends and allies of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, are seeking extension of their terms as they formalized their bids for the 2025 midterm polls.
Mr. Dela Rosa, who served as a Mr. Duterte\u2019s police chief, and Mr. Go, former Special Assistant to the President, filed their certificates of candidacy (CoC) on Thursday at the Manila Hotel, under the endorsement of the former chief executive.
\nThe May 2025 elections will be a litmus test of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.\u2019s popularity and a chance to consolidate power and groom a successor, which the influential Duterte family has signaled it is determined to stop after an acrimonious falling out.
\nThough 317 seats in the House of Representatives and thousands of regional and city posts are up for grabs among 18,000 positions, the attention is on 12 spots in the 24-seat Senate, a high-profile chamber with outsized influence and typically stacked with political heavyweights.
\nMr. Dela Rosa, often regarded as the chief architect of Mr. Duterte\u2019s war on drugs when he was police chief, said he would continue his advocacy for peace and order, and national defense. He would also lobby for mandatory Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps.
\n\u201cI will continue my fight against illegal drugs and criminality, and for national defense and security, we will situate that our national defense posture should be credible enough against foreign invaders,\u201d he told reporters after filing his CoC.
\nThe war on drugs is currently under probe by the International Criminal Court due to the thousands of extralegal killings between 2016 and 2022, most of whom were urban poor. The former police chief said he received calls from the tribunal but admitted he is ignoring the court.
\nHealth and food security will continue taking center stage among the platforms of Mr. Go, who is the current chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography. He is also the main proponent of the Malasakit Centers program.
\nWhen asked if Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte would run for Senate, Mr. Go said the Filipinos should just wait and see until the last day of filing on Oct. 8, Monday.
\nUnder the same banner, film star Philip Mikael R. Salvador also filed his CoC for a senatorial seat.\u00a0 Mr. Salvador said he would also push for peace and order in the upper chamber if he won.
\nAmong his platforms include allowing drug addicts to undergo rehabilitation, but clarified he is not against Mr. Duterte\u2019s deadly war on drugs. In 2016, he tried to run as vice governor of Bulacan but was excluded from the voters\u2019 list days before the local polls.\u00a0
\nIn a September 2024 Social Weather Stations survey, Senators Dela Rosa and Go fell to the 11th to 13th spot from their March 2024 ranking of 5th, and 10th to 11th, respectively. The SWS poll showed admin-endorsed candidates dominated the list of 12 preferred senatorial prospective candidates.
\nMARCOS ALLIES TAKE LEAD
\nA separate public opinion poll, likewise, showed politicians allied to the Marcos administration dominated the so-called Magic\u00a012 for next year\u2019s Senate race in the latest issue of the Philippine Public Opinion Monitor, conducted by WR Numero Research.
ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo, who is running for senator under a coalition led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., topped the September 2024 survey.
\nHe was followed by former Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III with 39.3% and radio personality Bienvenido T. Tulfo with 36.1%.
\nThey were followed by former President Duterte with 32.4%, Sen. Pilar Juliana \u201cPia\u201d S. Cayetano with 30.4%, former senator Emmanuel \u201cManny\u201d D. Pacquiao with 30.2%, and Senator Ramon \u201cBong\u201d Revilla, Jr. with 29.3%, who were all tied at ranks 4th to 7th.
\nAlso among those that could potentially win a senate seat were former senator Panfilo \u201cPing\u201d M. Lacson (24.4%), Senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios R. Marcos (23.7%), Mr. Dela Rosa (23.2%), former senator Francis Pancratius \u201cKiko\u201d N. Pangilinan (23.1%), and Senator Manuel \u201cLito\u201d Lapid (22.3%), who ranked 8th to 12th.
\nMeanwhile, cardiologist Willie T. Ong and Senator Go closely trail in 13th (21.9%) and 14th (21.5%) places, down from their 11th (25.6%), and 9th (29.5%) spots in the March 2024 survey, respectively.
\nThe September poll saw Mr. Ben Tulfo, brother of the most preferred senate bet, enter the top three. Mr. Lapid also broke into the top 12 after ranking 17th in March with 22%.
\nThe poll was conducted a month before the filing of certificate of candidacies for the midterm elections next year.
\nSix of the people in the Magic 12 are part of the Marcos-led Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas such as Mr. Tulfo of ACT-CIS, Mr. Sotto, Ms. Cayetano, Mr. Pacquiao, Mr. Revilla, and Mr. Lapid. Mr. Lacson and Ms. Marcos, who were initially part of the list endorsed by the President, decided to run as independent candidates.
\nOnly Mr. Pangilinan of the Liberal Party was able to enter the lineup among opposition personalities.
\nMajor opposition groups such as the Liberal Party and Koalisyong Makabayan earlier told 大象传媒 that they would not, in any way, build bridges with the opposition-posturing movement of Mr. Duterte, whose six-year term was marked by activist killings and deaths under his bloody anti-drugs campaign.
\nThe survey was conducted from Sept. 5 to 23 with a sample of 1,729 adults aged 18 and older. It has a margin of error of \u00b1 2% at a 95% confidence level. At the subnational level, the margin of error is \u00b1 6% for the National Capital Region, \u00b1 5% for North and Central Luzon, \u00b1 5% for South Luzon, \u00b1 6% for Visayas, and \u00b1 5% for Mindanao, all at the same 95% confidence level. \u2014 Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
\n", "content_text": "REELECTIONIST Senators Ronald \u201cBato\u201d M. dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence \u201cBong\u201d T. Go, friends and allies of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, are seeking extension of their terms as they formalized their bids for the 2025 midterm polls.\nMr. Dela Rosa, who served as a Mr. Duterte\u2019s police chief, and Mr. Go, former Special Assistant to the President, filed their certificates of candidacy (CoC) on Thursday at the Manila Hotel, under the endorsement of the former chief executive.\nThe May 2025 elections will be a litmus test of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.\u2019s popularity and a chance to consolidate power and groom a successor, which the influential Duterte family has signaled it is determined to stop after an acrimonious falling out.\nThough 317 seats in the House of Representatives and thousands of regional and city posts are up for grabs among 18,000 positions, the attention is on 12 spots in the 24-seat Senate, a high-profile chamber with outsized influence and typically stacked with political heavyweights.\nMr. Dela Rosa, often regarded as the chief architect of Mr. Duterte\u2019s war on drugs when he was police chief, said he would continue his advocacy for peace and order, and national defense. He would also lobby for mandatory Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps.\n\u201cI will continue my fight against illegal drugs and criminality, and for national defense and security, we will situate that our national defense posture should be credible enough against foreign invaders,\u201d he told reporters after filing his CoC.\nThe war on drugs is currently under probe by the International Criminal Court due to the thousands of extralegal killings between 2016 and 2022, most of whom were urban poor. The former police chief said he received calls from the tribunal but admitted he is ignoring the court.\nHealth and food security will continue taking center stage among the platforms of Mr. Go, who is the current chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography. He is also the main proponent of the Malasakit Centers program.\nWhen asked if Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte would run for Senate, Mr. Go said the Filipinos should just wait and see until the last day of filing on Oct. 8, Monday.\nUnder the same banner, film star Philip Mikael R. Salvador also filed his CoC for a senatorial seat.\u00a0 Mr. Salvador said he would also push for peace and order in the upper chamber if he won.\nAmong his platforms include allowing drug addicts to undergo rehabilitation, but clarified he is not against Mr. Duterte\u2019s deadly war on drugs. In 2016, he tried to run as vice governor of Bulacan but was excluded from the voters\u2019 list days before the local polls.\u00a0\nIn a September 2024 Social Weather Stations survey, Senators Dela Rosa and Go fell to the 11th to 13th spot from their March 2024 ranking of 5th, and 10th to 11th, respectively. The SWS poll showed admin-endorsed candidates dominated the list of 12 preferred senatorial prospective candidates.\nMARCOS ALLIES TAKE LEAD\nA separate public opinion poll, likewise, showed politicians allied to the Marcos administration dominated the so-called Magic\u00a012 for next year\u2019s Senate race in the latest issue of the Philippine Public Opinion Monitor, conducted by WR Numero Research.\nACT-CIS Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo, who is running for senator under a coalition led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., topped the September 2024 survey.\nHe was followed by former Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III with 39.3% and radio personality Bienvenido T. Tulfo with 36.1%.\nThey were followed by former President Duterte with 32.4%, Sen. Pilar Juliana \u201cPia\u201d S. Cayetano with 30.4%, former senator Emmanuel \u201cManny\u201d D. Pacquiao with 30.2%, and Senator Ramon \u201cBong\u201d Revilla, Jr. with 29.3%, who were all tied at ranks 4th to 7th.\nAlso among those that could potentially win a senate seat were former senator Panfilo \u201cPing\u201d M. Lacson (24.4%), Senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios R. Marcos (23.7%), Mr. Dela Rosa (23.2%), former senator Francis Pancratius \u201cKiko\u201d N. Pangilinan (23.1%), and Senator Manuel \u201cLito\u201d Lapid (22.3%), who ranked 8th to 12th.\nMeanwhile, cardiologist Willie T. Ong and Senator Go closely trail in 13th (21.9%) and 14th (21.5%) places, down from their 11th (25.6%), and 9th (29.5%) spots in the March 2024 survey, respectively.\nThe September poll saw Mr. Ben Tulfo, brother of the most preferred senate bet, enter the top three. Mr. Lapid also broke into the top 12 after ranking 17th in March with 22%.\nThe poll was conducted a month before the filing of certificate of candidacies for the midterm elections next year.\nSix of the people in the Magic 12 are part of the Marcos-led Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas such as Mr. Tulfo of ACT-CIS, Mr. Sotto, Ms. Cayetano, Mr. Pacquiao, Mr. Revilla, and Mr. Lapid. Mr. Lacson and Ms. Marcos, who were initially part of the list endorsed by the President, decided to run as independent candidates.\nOnly Mr. Pangilinan of the Liberal Party was able to enter the lineup among opposition personalities.\nMajor opposition groups such as the Liberal Party and Koalisyong Makabayan earlier told 大象传媒 that they would not, in any way, build bridges with the opposition-posturing movement of Mr. Duterte, whose six-year term was marked by activist killings and deaths under his bloody anti-drugs campaign.\nThe survey was conducted from Sept. 5 to 23 with a sample of 1,729 adults aged 18 and older. It has a margin of error of \u00b1 2% at a 95% confidence level. At the subnational level, the margin of error is \u00b1 6% for the National Capital Region, \u00b1 5% for North and Central Luzon, \u00b1 5% for South Luzon, \u00b1 6% for Visayas, and \u00b1 5% for Mindanao, all at the same 95% confidence level. \u2014 Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza", "date_published": "2024-10-03T21:34:57+08:00", "date_modified": "2024-10-17T19:43:55+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Go-Dela_Rosa.jpg", "tags": [ "bilangpilipino2025", "Chloe Mari A. Hufana", "Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza", "Bilang Pilipino", "The Nation" ] }, { "id": "/?p=625495", "url": "/the-nation/2024/10/02/625495/seasoned-political-figures-seek-senate-comeback/", "title": "Seasoned political figures seek Senate comeback", "content_html": "By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
PROMINENT politicians allied with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. formalized their bids for the Senate on the second day of registration on Wednesday.
\nFormer Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, ex-Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Sr., and action star turned lawmaker Manuel M. Lapid were among those who filed their certificates of candidacy.
\nThe May 2025 elections will be a litmus test of Mr. Marcos\u2019 popularity and a chance to consolidate power and groom a successor, which the influential Duterte family has signaled it is determined to stop after an acrimonious falling out.
\nPhilippine presidents are limited to a single six-year term.
\nThough 317 seats at the House of Representatives and thousands of regional and city posts are up for grabs among 18,000 positions, the attention is on 12 spots in the 24-seat Senate, a high-profile chamber with outsized influence and typically stacked with political heavyweights.
\nMr. Sotto said he wanted to finish overlooked pet bills including one that seeks to trim the bureaucracy.
\n\u201cThe bill that I filed before that was not acted upon should push through, and that is rightsizing of the government,\u201d he told reporters. He also cited the need to pass an anti-fake news bill, which he proposed in 2019.
\nMr. Sotto lost to Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio in the 2022 race. He was Senate president during ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte\u2019s term.
\nMr. Lacson, who lost in the 2022 presidential election as Mr. Sotto\u2019s running mate, said he would be a vanguard of the annual national budget. The former national police chief had been against pork barrel insertions when he was a senator.
\n\u201cI will help President Marcos pursue his administration\u2019s programs to benefit the majority of the Filipino people,\u201d he told reporters \u201cWhat is right must be kept right, what is wrong must be set right.\u201d
\nMr. Lacson said he is running independently despite the President\u2019s endorsement.
\nMr. Lapid declined to entertain questions from the media, saying his track record as a politician should speak for itself.
\nMeanwhile, presidential sister and Senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios \u201cImee\u201d R. Marcos also filed her certificate. She was accompanied by her two sons and her mother, former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos.
\nMs. Marcos, who is seeking reelection, earlier declined her brother\u2019s endorsement, which she said was to avoid putting him in a difficult position.
\nHansley A. Juliano, a political science professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, called the familiar names \u201ccontinuity candidates.\u201d
\n\u201cThey have also tended to be on board traditional legislation, be it business-friendly legislation, additional insertions on preferred budget items, and likely establishing factions in the leadup to the election,\u201d he told 大象传媒 in a Facebook Messenger chat.
\n", "content_text": "By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter\nPROMINENT politicians allied with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. formalized their bids for the Senate on the second day of registration on Wednesday.\nFormer Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, ex-Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Sr., and action star turned lawmaker Manuel M. Lapid were among those who filed their certificates of candidacy.\nThe May 2025 elections will be a litmus test of Mr. Marcos\u2019 popularity and a chance to consolidate power and groom a successor, which the influential Duterte family has signaled it is determined to stop after an acrimonious falling out.\nPhilippine presidents are limited to a single six-year term.\nThough 317 seats at the House of Representatives and thousands of regional and city posts are up for grabs among 18,000 positions, the attention is on 12 spots in the 24-seat Senate, a high-profile chamber with outsized influence and typically stacked with political heavyweights.\nMr. Sotto said he wanted to finish overlooked pet bills including one that seeks to trim the bureaucracy.\n\u201cThe bill that I filed before that was not acted upon should push through, and that is rightsizing of the government,\u201d he told reporters. He also cited the need to pass an anti-fake news bill, which he proposed in 2019.\nMr. Sotto lost to Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio in the 2022 race. He was Senate president during ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte\u2019s term.\nMr. Lacson, who lost in the 2022 presidential election as Mr. Sotto\u2019s running mate, said he would be a vanguard of the annual national budget. The former national police chief had been against pork barrel insertions when he was a senator.\n\u201cI will help President Marcos pursue his administration\u2019s programs to benefit the majority of the Filipino people,\u201d he told reporters \u201cWhat is right must be kept right, what is wrong must be set right.\u201d\nMr. Lacson said he is running independently despite the President\u2019s endorsement.\nMr. Lapid declined to entertain questions from the media, saying his track record as a politician should speak for itself.\nMeanwhile, presidential sister and Senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios \u201cImee\u201d R. Marcos also filed her certificate. She was accompanied by her two sons and her mother, former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos.\nMs. Marcos, who is seeking reelection, earlier declined her brother\u2019s endorsement, which she said was to avoid putting him in a difficult position.\nHansley A. Juliano, a political science professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, called the familiar names \u201ccontinuity candidates.\u201d\n\u201cThey have also tended to be on board traditional legislation, be it business-friendly legislation, additional insertions on preferred budget items, and likely establishing factions in the leadup to the election,\u201d he told 大象传媒 in a Facebook Messenger chat.", "date_published": "2024-10-02T21:18:33+08:00", "date_modified": "2024-10-17T19:44:55+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Palacio_Del_Gobernador_Intramuros_Manila_07-22-2020_Comelec.jpg", "tags": [ "bilangpilipino2025", "Chloe Mari A. Hufana", "Bilang Pilipino", "Editors' Picks", "The Nation" ], "summary": "PROMINENT politicians allied with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. formalized their bids for the Senate on the second day of registration on Wednesday." }, { "id": "/?p=625191", "url": "/the-nation/2024/10/01/625191/marcos-duterte-battle-in-focus-as-phl-prepares-for-midterm-elections/", "title": "Marcos-Duterte battle in focus as PHL prepares for midterm elections", "content_html": "By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
REGISTRATION on Tuesday opened in the Philippines for midterm elections next year, headlined by what could be a bitter proxy battle between President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and his firebrand predecessor Rodrigo R. Duterte.
\nSeventeen senatorial and 15 party-list hopefuls formalized their candidacies at a Commission on Elections (Comelec) satellite office inside the Manila Hotel, Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia told a news briefing.
\nThe May 2025 elections will be a litmus test of Mr. Marcos\u2019 popularity and a chance to consolidate power and groom a successor, which the influential Duterte family has signaled it is determined to stop after an acrimonious falling out.
\nPhilippine presidents are limited to a single six-year term.
\nThough 317 seats at the House of Representatives and thousands of regional and city posts are up for grabs among 18,000 positions, the attention is on 12 spots in the 24-seat Senate, a high-profile chamber with outsized influence and typically stacked with political heavyweights.
\nSpeculation has swirled that Mr. Duterte, 79, and two of his sons will contest the senatorial race to try to weaken Mr. Marcos. Mr. Duterte\u2019s office and that of his daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
\nThe midterms come after the collapse of what was an unstoppable alliance between the two families that delivered a landslide election win for Mr. Marcos in 2022. Ms. Carpio had been the frontrunner for president in surveys but opted instead to become Mr. Marcos\u2019s running mate.
\nBut their relationship has since turned hostile, owing to policy differences, the unravelling of Mr. Duterte\u2019s pro-China foreign policy and investigations into his bloody war on drugs, plus other scandals implicating his associates.
\nMs. Carpio resigned from the Cabinet and last week suffered a humiliating two-thirds slashing of her office\u2019s budget by a House led by the President\u2019s cousin, after she refused to attend hearings and objected to scrutiny of her spending.
\nSenate seats could give the Dutertes a powerful platform in the Philippines\u2019 personality-driven politics to shore-up support, challenge Marcos legislation and initiate investigations into his government.
\n\u201cAll eyes will be indeed on who among them would run… or all of them,\u201d said Ederson Tapia, professor of public administration at the University of Makati. \u201cThe Dutertes, notwithstanding the controversies hounding VP Sara, remain a formidable force.\u201d
\nMr. Marcos is bolstering his base by endorsing big local names for the Senate, including three former movie actors, the daughter of the country\u2019s richest man, plus two of his presidential election rivals, among them global boxing icon Emmanuel \u201cManny\u201d D. Pacquiao, Sr.
\nA notable absence from his Senate slate will be sister Maria Imelda \u201cImee\u201d R. Marcos, who is seeking reelection but declined her brother\u2019s endorsement, which she said was to avoid putting him in a difficult position.
\nJean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, said success for Mr. Marcos in the midterms could be vital to his legacy.
\n\u201cIf the majority of those he endorsed win in the Senate and the House, it ensures that his legislative agenda will push through,\u201d she said. \u201cIt ensures that he will have enough clout to anoint someone who he is going to support in the 2028 (presidential) elections.\u201d
\nSenator Francis N. Tolentino, who is running under the ruling Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas, was the first among seven reelectionists to file his bid.
\nBayan Muna party-list, which lost its re-election bid in the previous election, is seeking a comeback with human rights lawyer Neri J. Colmenares as its first nominee, followed by ex-House Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Isagani T. Zarate and for representative Ferdinand R. Gaite.
\nMeanwhile, at a separate filing office in Makati, outgoing Senator Ma. Lourdes \u201cNancy\u201d S. Binay-Angeles filed her certificate for Makati mayor. Her sister, outgoing Mayor Mer-len Abigail S. Binay-Campos, has said her husband was eyeing the post.
\nSpeaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez in a Facebook post said he is gunning for his sixth term in the House as Leyte\u2019s representative. He filed his certificate in the province.
\nMAGIC 12
\nMeanwhile, senatorial candidates from the ruling coalition got 10 of 12 spots in the race, according to a survey by the Social Weather Stations.
The study, commissioned by Stratbase Group, showed that leading the race was Party-list Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo with 54% of Filipinos likely to vote for him.
\nHe was followed by former Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III with 34%,\u00a0 and Senator Pilar Juliana \u201cPia\u201d S. Cayetano with 31%.
\nHansley A. Juliano, a political science professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said Senate independence is unlikely to be affected in case most administration candidates win.
\n\u201cIndependence wise, we have seen before that the Senate, depending on their composition, can choose to be as supine to the President as the lower House or try to fight out its institutional independence,\u201d he told 大象传媒 in a Facebook Messenger chat.
\nMr. Duterte\u2019s preference rate dipped to 25% in September from 36% in March, putting him in the 4th-5th place from second. Tied with him was Senator Marcos, whose support increased by 3 points to 25% in September.
\nIn the sixth and seventh spots were Senator Ramon \u201cBong\u201d B. Revilla, Jr. and ex-Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Sr.
\nHouse Deputy Speaker and Las Pi\u00f1as Rep. Camille Lydia A. Villar-Genuino climbed to the eighth spot in September with 21% from 20th-24th place in March.
\nMs. Binay-Campos entered the \u201cmagic 12\u201d on the ninth to 10th spot, tied with Senator Manuel \u201cLito\u201d M. Lapid at 20%.
\n\u201cDynastic names continue to dominate Senate races both due to name recall, incumbency and previous publicity record,\u201d Mr. Juliano said. \u201cThis clientelist standard continues to persist to the detriment of newer and more professional voices, even if young people may be inclined to vote for progressive candidates.\u201d
\nFrom the administration slate, only Mr. Tolentino (14th) and Interior Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. (16th-17th) failed to make it to the top 12.
\nThe filing of candidacies will end on Oct. 8. \u2014 with Reuters
\n", "content_text": "By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter\nREGISTRATION on Tuesday opened in the Philippines for midterm elections next year, headlined by what could be a bitter proxy battle between President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and his firebrand predecessor Rodrigo R. Duterte.\nSeventeen senatorial and 15 party-list hopefuls formalized their candidacies at a Commission on Elections (Comelec) satellite office inside the Manila Hotel, Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia told a news briefing.\nThe May 2025 elections will be a litmus test of Mr. Marcos\u2019 popularity and a chance to consolidate power and groom a successor, which the influential Duterte family has signaled it is determined to stop after an acrimonious falling out.\nPhilippine presidents are limited to a single six-year term.\nThough 317 seats at the House of Representatives and thousands of regional and city posts are up for grabs among 18,000 positions, the attention is on 12 spots in the 24-seat Senate, a high-profile chamber with outsized influence and typically stacked with political heavyweights.\nSpeculation has swirled that Mr. Duterte, 79, and two of his sons will contest the senatorial race to try to weaken Mr. Marcos. Mr. Duterte\u2019s office and that of his daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.\nThe midterms come after the collapse of what was an unstoppable alliance between the two families that delivered a landslide election win for Mr. Marcos in 2022. Ms. Carpio had been the frontrunner for president in surveys but opted instead to become Mr. Marcos\u2019s running mate.\nBut their relationship has since turned hostile, owing to policy differences, the unravelling of Mr. Duterte\u2019s pro-China foreign policy and investigations into his bloody war on drugs, plus other scandals implicating his associates. \nMs. Carpio resigned from the Cabinet and last week suffered a humiliating two-thirds slashing of her office\u2019s budget by a House led by the President\u2019s cousin, after she refused to attend hearings and objected to scrutiny of her spending.\nSenate seats could give the Dutertes a powerful platform in the Philippines\u2019 personality-driven politics to shore-up support, challenge Marcos legislation and initiate investigations into his government.\n\u201cAll eyes will be indeed on who among them would run… or all of them,\u201d said Ederson Tapia, professor of public administration at the University of Makati. \u201cThe Dutertes, notwithstanding the controversies hounding VP Sara, remain a formidable force.\u201d\nMr. Marcos is bolstering his base by endorsing big local names for the Senate, including three former movie actors, the daughter of the country\u2019s richest man, plus two of his presidential election rivals, among them global boxing icon Emmanuel \u201cManny\u201d D. Pacquiao, Sr.\nA notable absence from his Senate slate will be sister Maria Imelda \u201cImee\u201d R. Marcos, who is seeking reelection but declined her brother\u2019s endorsement, which she said was to avoid putting him in a difficult position.\nJean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, said success for Mr. Marcos in the midterms could be vital to his legacy.\n\u201cIf the majority of those he endorsed win in the Senate and the House, it ensures that his legislative agenda will push through,\u201d she said. \u201cIt ensures that he will have enough clout to anoint someone who he is going to support in the 2028 (presidential) elections.\u201d\nSenator Francis N. Tolentino, who is running under the ruling Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas, was the first among seven reelectionists to file his bid.\nBayan Muna party-list, which lost its re-election bid in the previous election, is seeking a comeback with human rights lawyer Neri J. Colmenares as its first nominee, followed by ex-House Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Isagani T. Zarate and for representative Ferdinand R. Gaite.\nMeanwhile, at a separate filing office in Makati, outgoing Senator Ma. Lourdes \u201cNancy\u201d S. Binay-Angeles filed her certificate for Makati mayor. Her sister, outgoing Mayor Mer-len Abigail S. Binay-Campos, has said her husband was eyeing the post.\nSpeaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez in a Facebook post said he is gunning for his sixth term in the House as Leyte\u2019s representative. He filed his certificate in the province.\nMAGIC 12\nMeanwhile, senatorial candidates from the ruling coalition got 10 of 12 spots in the race, according to a survey by the Social Weather Stations.\nThe study, commissioned by Stratbase Group, showed that leading the race was Party-list Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo with 54% of Filipinos likely to vote for him.\nHe was followed by former Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III with 34%,\u00a0 and Senator Pilar Juliana \u201cPia\u201d S. Cayetano with 31%.\nHansley A. Juliano, a political science professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said Senate independence is unlikely to be affected in case most administration candidates win.\n\u201cIndependence wise, we have seen before that the Senate, depending on their composition, can choose to be as supine to the President as the lower House or try to fight out its institutional independence,\u201d he told 大象传媒 in a Facebook Messenger chat.\nMr. Duterte\u2019s preference rate dipped to 25% in September from 36% in March, putting him in the 4th-5th place from second. Tied with him was Senator Marcos, whose support increased by 3 points to 25% in September.\nIn the sixth and seventh spots were Senator Ramon \u201cBong\u201d B. Revilla, Jr. and ex-Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Sr.\nHouse Deputy Speaker and Las Pi\u00f1as Rep. Camille Lydia A. Villar-Genuino climbed to the eighth spot in September with 21% from 20th-24th place in March.\nMs. Binay-Campos entered the \u201cmagic 12\u201d on the ninth to 10th spot, tied with Senator Manuel \u201cLito\u201d M. Lapid at 20%.\n\u201cDynastic names continue to dominate Senate races both due to name recall, incumbency and previous publicity record,\u201d Mr. Juliano said. \u201cThis clientelist standard continues to persist to the detriment of newer and more professional voices, even if young people may be inclined to vote for progressive candidates.\u201d\nFrom the administration slate, only Mr. Tolentino (14th) and Interior Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. (16th-17th) failed to make it to the top 12.\nThe filing of candidacies will end on Oct. 8. \u2014 with Reuters", "date_published": "2024-10-01T21:29:05+08:00", "date_modified": "2024-10-17T19:45:46+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Marcos-Duterte.jpg", "tags": [ "bilangpilipino2025", "Chloe Mari A. Hufana", "Bilang Pilipino", "Editors' Picks", "The Nation" ], "summary": "REGISTRATION on Tuesday opened in the Philippines for midterm elections next year, headlined by what could be a bitter proxy battle between President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and his firebrand predecessor Rodrigo R. Duterte." } ] }