This undated photo shows Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte during a session of the bicameral panel. | PHOTO: Office of CamSur Rep. LRayÌęVillafuerte
MANILA, Philippines âÌęSeven key members of the political parties within the âAlyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinasâ are being eyed as possible candidates for the administrationâs Senate slate for 2025, Camarines 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte said on Tuesday.
During a phone interview with reporters covering the House of Representatives, Villafuerte said they have not yet finalized the list of possible candidates, but the following may be part of the administrationâs Magic 12:
- former Senate President Vicente âTitoâ Sotto III (Nationalist Peopleâs Coalition)
- Deputy Speaker Camille Villar (Nacionalista Party)
- Senator Ramon âBongâ Revilla (Lakas-CMD)
- Senator Imee Marcos (Nacionalista Party)
- Senator Pia Cayetano (Nacionalista Party)
- Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (Partido Federal ng Pilipinas)
- Senator Francis Tolentino (Partido Federal ng Pilipinas)
âWell the presidentÌęof the Nationalist Peopleâs Coalition, Tito Sotto, so most probably he is part of the slate because he heads the party.Ìę Camille Villar is a high-ranking official of the Nacionalista Party.Ìę Then of course Bong Revilla is a high official of Lakas(-CMD), and heâs running for reelection, so these are the common names talked about,â Villafuerte said of the meeting of party leaders in Malacañang on Monday night.
âWell Senator Pia (Cayetano) is a member of the Nacionalista Party, then I understand that Senator (Francis) Tolentino who is a new member of the Partido Federal is running for reelection [âŠ]Ìę Well of course member Secretary Benhur (Abalos) is also a member of the PFP, if he decides to run, he can be considered too because heâs part of the Presidentâs cabinet at the same time I think heâs considering to run.Ìę But we cannot preempt that until he decides to run,â he added.
Villafuerte, who heads the National Unity Party (NUP) said there is no fixed list yet, adding that the coalition aims to announce the list by September 15 or the third week of September.
âBut other than that I donât want to preempt because I think theyâre planning to announce the common senatorial line-up either September 15 or the 3rd week of September,â he said.
âSo far we have not talked about guest candidates eh, what we talked about last night is that weâre open, that has to be submitted to the alliance members for consideration. Everybody has to agree eh, so itâs not only one or two parties, all members of the alliance,â he added.
Earlier, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who heads Lakas-CMD confirmed that party leaders met on Monday night in Malacañang to discuss the strategy for the 2025 midterm elections.
According to Romualdez, the meeting is also a âdeclaration of our shared commitment to the Filipino people.â
Lakas-CMD, the Nationalist Peopleâs Coalition, the Nacionalista Party (NP), and Villafuerteâs NUP separately signed an agreement to align with the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, the party of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
READ: âUnity pa rinâ: Party leaders meet at Malacañang for 2025 strategyÌę
It appears that with the coalition forming a strategy, the âunityâ catchphrase of the administration is still in play, despite concerns that it may have already started weakening.
READ: Sara Duterte resigns as DepEd secretary, says PalaceÌę
The term âunityâ was the central theme of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.âs campaign, which also featured the Presidentâs running-mate, Vice President Sara Duterte.Ìę Marcosâ campaign focused on the belief that unity would help the country recover from the different crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
READ: Up to last day of campaign, Bongbong Marcos sticks to unity messageÌę
However, there are beliefs that the Uniteam has been dissolved already, with Vice President Duterte leaving the Marcos cabinet, and taking on a more critical stance towards the administration.