‘Looking ahead to the 2028 elections, we can likely expect partisan politics to intensify considerably. It will certainly be interesting to observe how these events unfold.’
NOW that the 2025 mid-term elections have concluded, it’s quite striking to see the apparent shifts in the political landscape.
It seems many young voters expressed a preference away from traditional politicians such as Sen. Cynthia Villar, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia and the family of former Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos, as well as former movie personalities like Sen. Bong Revilla, Willie Revillame, and Philip Salvador. Celebrity endorsements from figures like Vice Ganda (Angkasannga) and Piolo Pascual (Ang Probinsiyano) also did not seem to significantly sway voters.
According to Comelec data, Millennials (aged 28 to 44) represent nearly 70% of registered voters, and the Gen Z electorate (aged 27 and below), now totaling around 21 million, included seven million first-time voters this past May 12th.
Interestingly, the election also suggests a growing inclination towards issue-based politics rather than strict party loyalty, highlighted by the entry of former Senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan into the Senate’s Magic 12. Notably, neither Aquino nor Pangilinan received explicit support from President Bongbong Marcos, Vice President Sara Duterte, or former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Five candidates endorsed by President Marcos (Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Lito Lapid, former Malaya reporter and party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, former Senate President Tito Sotto, and former Senator Ping Lacson) and another five championed by Vice President Duterte (Sen. Bong Go, Sen. Bato Dela Rosa, Sen. Imee Marcos, Rep. Dante Marcoleta, and Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar secured seats in the Senate’s Magic 12.
The apparent weaker performance of President Marcos’s senatorial slate in the midterm elections may complicate any plans to pursue the impeachment of Vice President Duterte, where the Senate acts as the judge.
Despite running under a UniTeam banner in 2022, which resonated with a majority of voters, the alliance between President Marcos and Vice President Duterte has since fractured due to reported policy disagreements, personal conflicts, and mutual accusations, culminating in the impeachment case against the Vice President.
One has to wonder why President Marcos’s senatorial candidates did not fare as well, despite the administration’s machinery and resources. Could it be because of the late rollout of his 2022 campaign promise of reducing rice prices to 20 pesos per kilogram?
Furthermore, the persistent issue of food cartels, despite strong pronouncements during President Marcos’s State of the Nation Addresses to apprehend those manipulating the supply chain and driving up food prices, might have also played a role.
Another potential factor could be the administration’s approach towards the International Criminal Court concerning former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Looking ahead to the 2028 elections, we can likely expect partisan politics to intensify considerably. It will certainly be interesting to observe how these events unfold.
