Marcos unwraps senatorial lineup

(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday unveiled the administration's senatorial lineup for the 2025 midterm elections.

The ticket is a combination of reelectionists, current Cabinet members, former senators and personalities from the Partido Federal ng Filipinas, Nationalist People's Coalition, Lakas-CMD, and Nacionalista Party, a coalition the President has formed. The reelectionists are Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Francis Tolentino and the President's sister, Imee Marcos.

The former senators making a comeback bid are Manny Pacquiao, Tito Sotto, Bong Revilla and Panfilo Lacson.

MARCOS' SENATORIAL BETS President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. unveils the administration’s 12 senatorial bets for the 2025 midterm elections on Sept. 26, 2024: Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Lito Lapid, former senator Manny Pacquiao, former senator Tito Sotto, ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Irwin Tulfo, Camille Villar, Sen. Francis Tolentino, Sen. Bong Revilla, former senator Ping Lacson, and Makati City Mayor Abby Binay. Not in attendance is Sen. Imee Marcos. PHOTO COURTESY OF MPC POOL

Rounding up the ticket are Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, Camille Villar, and Makati City Mayor Abby Binay. The slate will be known as the «Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas.» The President's picks were presented during the coalition's convention at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

Senator Marcos did not attend the convention.

«My only wish is for them to maintain their loyalty and love for the country,» Marcos said in Filipino. «This is the most important quality I look for in a candidate,» Before the announcement of the senatorial candidates. Marcos witnessed the signing of Manifesto of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas by all the party leaders.

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Tulfo said the President had told the senatorial bets that poverty alleviation must be their priority.

«So, all the bills that this lineup would craft [as senators] if they win must be centered on that… in unison with the programs of the Marcos administration...», said Tulfo, a former secretary of the