THE filing of certificates of candidacy for the #BotoNgKabataan2025 midterm elections officially ended on Tuesday, October 8.
More aspirants arrived at the Manila Hotel Tent City in Ermita in the afternoon, including former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan who is seeking a senate comeback.
Accompanied by his wife actress-singer Sharon Cuneta, Pangilinan formalized his senatorial bid to address issues in food security and the soaring prices of goods and services that have been a burden to Filipino people. He is running under the Liberal Party.
Detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy filed his COC for senator, through lawyer Mark Tolentino. The legal counsel said Quiboloy, who is facing criminal charges and detained at Camp Crame, would focus on “religious freedom,” among others if he wins a senate seat.
Vic Rodriguez, former executive secretary of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., also joined the senatorial race, hoping to represent the “real opposition” in the upper chamber. While he runs as an independent candidate, Rodriguez said he was personally endorsed by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
A few minutes before the COC filing ends, television host Willie Revillame went up onstage to announce that he is vying for a senatorial seat to address poverty and help those in need, particularly the elderly.
If he wins, Revillame hopes to “adjust” the 20 percent discount that senior citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are entitled to when purchasing goods.
“Yung 20 percent parang kulang ‘yan eh kasi every year tumataas ang mga gastusin natin sa lahat ng bagay, lalong-lalo na sa gamot,” he said.
Party-list groups
Meanwhile, CLICK Party-list, which supports the Department of Education’s initiative to improve the information and technology (IT) skills and digital literacy of Filipino students, filed their certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA).
If they win a seat in Congress, the group said they would offer Filipino students “digital education,” which will particularly tackle the use of artificial intelligence (AI), under their “Universal Digital Literacy Program.”
“Upang mabigyan po ng kasanayan sa kompyuter at iba pang teknolohiya ang atin pong mga kabataan para naman po maging competitive sila hindi lamang dito sa Pilipinas pati na rin po sa ibang bansa,” former Presidential Anti-Graft Commissioner Atty. Nick Conti said.
ARTE Party-list, on the other hand, aims to represent the creative industry in Congress. Its first nominee is Lloyd Lee, the husband of Miss Universe Philippines National Director Shamcey Supsup.
“I urge people, yung mga kasamahan namin na parte ng aming sektor, kayo po dapat ang lumaban, kasi lumalaban kami para sa inyo,” Supsup said. “I urge everybody from the creative sector na ‘wag niyong sayangin ang boto ninyo.”
Arangkada Pilipinas Party-list also joined the 2025 party-list race, vowing to improve the skill set of Filipinos.
As the filing of COCs closes, aspiring candidates will no longer be allowed to substitute an individual who already filed their candidacy for elective posts, unless the latter passes away or is disqualified. However, only those with the same family name and political party can replace a candidate, said the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
