Iglesia ni Cristo endorses 8 Senate bets
The final testing of an automated counting machine is held at the Rizal Central School in Tacloban City on Tuesday (May 6, 2025). At least 5,670 automated counting machines for the upcoming national and local elections in Eastern Visayas were tested and sealed. — Photo from the Philippine News Agency
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte — The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) has endorsed eight senatorial candidates for the 2025 midterm elections, a mix of candidates from the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), and other parties.
According to a sample ballot released by the INC, it is endorsing the following senatorial candidates:
- former senator Bam Aquino (Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino)
- Senator Bong Revilla (Lakas-CMD/ Alyansa)
- Senator Pia Cayetano (Nacionalista Party/ Alyansa)
- Senator Ronald dela Rosa (PDP)
- Senator Bong Go (PDP)
- Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (independent/ PDP)
- Senator Imee Marcos (Nacionalista Party)
- Senator Camille Villar (Nacionalista Party/ Alyansa)
A source who asked not to be named told INQUIRER.net that the sample ballots were the actual leaflets distributed to Iglesia members.
Several of the candidates have already thanked INC for their endorsement. Revilla said in a Facebook live stream on Thursday that INC is supporting his candidacy.
“Good news po, at nais ko lamang pong ibalita na kagagaling ko lamang po dito sa Central, sa Iglesia ni Cristo, at ako’y pinatawag ni Ka Eduardo Manalo at nakaharap ko ang kanyang anak na si Ka Angelo, at ako po’y sinusuportahan ng Iglesia ni Cristo,” Revilla said in the video posted on his page.
INC’s endorsements have long been considered key to any candidacy, as its members engage in bloc voting or picking candidates backed by the church’s leaders.
READ: INC endorsements: Do they matter?
With 2.6 million members as of 2015, the church can play an important role in pushing a candidate’s numbers.
In the 2019 midterm elections, 11 of the 12 senatorial candidates that INC endorsed made it to the Magic 12.
In the 2022 presidential elections, INC endorsed the eventual winners, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte./gsg/das/abc
