Bam Aquino sees open Senate race

Former senator Bam Aquino answers questions from reporters on the sidelines of his house-to-house sortie with Sen. Risa Hontiveros, former senator Kiko Pangilinan and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno in Mandaluyong City on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Jason Sigales / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino on Saturday said he sees an “open race” for Senate seats in the 2025 midterm elections. 

He made the remark in an interview on the sidelines of his house-to-house sortie with Sen. Risa Hontiveros, former senator Francos “Kiko” Pangilinan and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno in Mandaluyong City on Saturday, March 1.

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Wednesday showed that Aquino ranked 17th, outside the “Magic 12.”

“May lumabas (referring to surveys) na 11, may lumabas na 10, may lumabas na 14, may lumabas na 17. I think lumalabas lang talaga na yung laban na ‘to, bukas talaga siya. Bukas sa marami sa amin,” Aquino said.

(One survey had me at 11th, another had me at 10th, another had me at 14th, another had me at 17th. I think what’s apparent here is that this race, it’s really open. It’s open for many of us.)

“May tatlo o apat lang siguro sure na sure winner diyan. Pero yung karamihan, talagang nakikipagtunggali pa talaga. Basta lalabas yung tao, mararamdaman natin yung lakas ng taumbayan, lakas ng volunteers natin. Aangat at aangat yan,” Aquino added.

 (Perhaps, there’d be three or four there that’d be sure winners. But, for many, they’re still competing. As long as the people come out, we’ll feel the strength of the masses, the strength of our volunteers. The numbers will surely go up.)

Pangilinan was similarly optimistic about his chances, banking on intensifying their messaging to raise their numbers.

He placed 15th in the SWS poll published last Wednesday.

“Kinakailangan siyempre yung aming mensahe na mapapababa ang presyo ng pagkain, yung food security saka pagsuporta sa agrikultura. Kailangan pa rin natin paigtingin,” Pangilinan said in an interview on the sidelines of the Mandaluyong sortie on Saturday.

(Of course, our message of lowering food prices, our message of food security and supporting agriculture is needed. We need to strengthen it.)

“Naniniwala ako kapag nalaman ng ating mga kababayan, sa tulong ng midya, na yan ang ating sinusulong ay dadagdag pa, marami pang susuporta sa atin,” Pangilinan added.

(I believe that if our fellow countrymen know that we’re advocating for these, with the help of the media, many more will support us.)