Doc Willie Ong officially files withdrawal from Senate race

Doctor Willie Ong officially files his withdrawal from the senatorial race of the 2025 elections through his wife, Liza Ong, on Friday, February 21, 2025. (Photo from DIANNE SAMPANG / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — Doctor and vlogger Willie Ong has officially withdrawn from his Senate bid for the 2025 elections.

His statement of withdrawal was filed on Friday by his wife Liza at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila.

In a Facebook post last February 13, Ong announced that he would be withdrawing his candidacy to focus more on taking care of his health.

READ: Doctor-vlogger Willie Ong withdraws Senate 2025 bid

He noted that he “will continue to support good governance and the candidates who espouse the same ideal as mine.”

Liza said her husband decided to withdraw his candidacy to complete his cancer treatment.

She shared that her husband completed chemotherapy sessions, and will now proceed with immunotherapy and targeted sessions.

“Kaya nagwi-withdraw si Doc Willie kasi may ilan pa syang mga session. Gusto nya po kasi, hindi ma-short change ang sambayanan,” Liza told reporters.

(Doc Willie withdrew because he still had remaining sessions. He doesn’t want the public to be short-changed.)

When asked how much campaign funds her husband had spent for the 2025 polls, Liza said that he did not spend “much.”

She added that Willie received donated campaign materials.

“Kahit po no’ng nakaraang dalawang takbo ni Doc Willie, talagang halos di po kami gumagastos. Hindi rin po kami tumatanggap ng campaign funds,” she recalled.

(Even during his past two candidacies of Doc Willie, we almost did not spend anything. We are also not accepting campaign funds.)

Doctor Ong’s statement of contributions and expenditures will be filed in line with the Comelec guidelines.

Expenditures and contributions made during the start of the campaign period need to be submitted to the poll body.

In September, the doctor made his intent to run in the 2025 polls known amid his battle with cancer.

His Certificate of Candidacy was then filed through his wife.

READ: Comelec: Willie Ong has not yet officially withdrawn his Senate bid

Ong is the fourth senatorial candidate who withdrew candidacy for the May polls.

Former Governor Chavit Singson, internet personality Norman Mangusin (known as Francis Leo Marcos) and Agri Party-list Representative Wilbert Lee previously backed out from the Senate race.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia previously said Ong’s name will still be included in the ballots.

However, Garcia noted that the votes for the doctor will be considered “stray.”