Over one-fourth of local, national bets under admin slate

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. makes pitch for administration’s Senate slate during the proclamation rally of Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas in Ilocos Norte on Feb. 11, 2025. (SCREENGRAB FROM RTVM)

DAVAO DEL NORTE — Over one-fourth of candidates for local and national posts in the May midterm elections nationwide are running under the slate of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R.Marcos Jr.

Marcos said around 12,800 local and national candidates are under the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. 

Data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed that there are more than 44,000 candidates in the May midterm elections.

“Iyan po ay buong-buo, solid na solid kagaya po ng ating mga kandidato para sa senador,” Marcos said in his speech during the senatorial campaign sortie here at Carmen Municipal Park and Plaza.

(The slate is whole and really solid, like our candidates for the Senate.)

The administration’s Senate slate is made up of  reelectionists Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, and Francis Tolentino; former senators Vicente Sotto III, Panfilo Lacson, and Manny Pacquiao; House lawmakers Deputy Speaker Camille Villar and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo; former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos; and Makati City Mayor Abby Binay.

Four of the candidates –  Sen. Marcos, Cayetano, Lacson and  Villar, skipped this rally, which was held in the bailiwick of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The President also alluded to other political parties who could not form a dozen members of their bloc to attempt to have a 12-0 sweep. 

The Senate slate backed by former President Rodrigo Duterte  has only nine candidates.

“Bakit po ganoon? Bakit iyong ibang partido, bakit ‘yung ibang nagsasama ay hindi makapagbuo ng mabigat na ticket? Dahil po ang kanilang iniisip lamang ay kung papaano nila tutulungan ang kanilang sarili at manalo ng eleksyon,” Marcos said.

(Why is it that other  parties could not form a formidable ticket? Because they are only thinking how they could help themselves win the election.)

“Ngunit dito po sa Alyansa, kaya po ang tawag sa amin ay Alyansa, dahil mayroon kaming paniniwala na lahat ng kailangang gawin para sa ating bansa ay kailangan magtulungan lahat ng Pilipino,” he added.

(But here in Alyansa, we call ourselves that because we believe that everything we need to do for the country needs a united people.)

Alyansa’s proclamation rally kicked off in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte last Feb. 11, marking the start of the 90-day campaign period.

Marcos, who led the alliance’s proclamation rally, unleashed a thinly-veiled salvo of attacks on Duterte during his speech there. 

The Chief Executive, who made a pitch for the 12-member Alyansa, said they are not “tainted by the blood” of drug war which killed thousands, did not profess pro-China and pro-Philippine offshore gaming operators sentiments, among other social ills, as opposed to the nine-man slate backed by the former president.

Before this event, Marcos also led the second leg of the administration bloc’s sortie in Iloilo City on Friday where he also repeated such strong remarks against Duterte.