Hontiveros sees ‘fighting chance’ for Pangilinan, Aquino in Senate race

Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aguirre Aquino (L) and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. | PHOTOS: Official Facebook pages of Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan

MANILA, Philippines— Though both trailing behind the pre-election surveys, returning senatorial bets Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Bam Aquino still have a “fighting chance” in the May 2025 elections.

Opposition Sen. Risa  Hontiveros shared this belief on Wednesday as she expressed her wish to work with the two in the minority bloc should they succeed in their senatorial bids.

The Senate minority group is currently being headed by Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel with Hontiveros as its sole member.

“May fighting chance (There is a fighting chance),”  Hontiveros said of Pangilinan and Aquino’s chances in the senatorial race during the regular Kapihan sa Senado forum.

“Pero talagang  paghihirapan namin ito dahil mabigat ang mga nasa ulunan nila sa mga surveys  at very very well-funded yung mga nasa paanan nila sa lahat ng surveys,”  she added.

(But we will really have to work hard on  this as they are up against  those leading the surveys  and very, very well-funded candidates.)

Both Pangilinan and Aquino failed to make it into the “Magic 12” in the Senate race as shown in various surveys conducted ahead of the  May 2025 polls.

It would then be a wish come true for Hontiveros to see the two men joining her in the Senate minority in the 20th Congress.

“Yun ang wish ko, lumaki kami. Kasi naging dalawa kami ngayon, wala po akong balak na maging isa lamang dahil sa  kinalulungkot ko ng pag term-out ni Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel,”  she said.

(That’s my wish, that we grow. Because we are now only two and I have no intention of becoming just one because I’m saddened by the term-out of Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel.)

“At wish ko lang maging tatlo kami sa susunod na Senate minority nina Senators Kiko and Bam.” she further said.

(And my wish is for us to become three in the next Senate minority, alongside Senators Kiko and Bam.)

Pimentel, whose terms end on June 30,  is running as representative of Marikina’s first district.

NOTE: The English translations in the article were AI-generated