Admin finalizes Senate 2025 bets

Leaders of the country's largest political parties gathered on Monday at the Aguado Residence at Malacañang to finalize the administration coalition's 12-person senatorial lineup and formulate a strategy for the 2025 midterm elections.

- DELON PORCALLA

The gathering brought together leaders from President Marcos' Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Nacionalista Party (NP) and National Unity Party (NUP).

Discussed at the talks was the formation of the administration's Senate slate for 2025.

Former Senate president Tito Sotto III leads the fourperson bloc from the NPC. He is joined by former senator Panfilo Lacson, reelectionist Sen. Lito Lapid and Makati City Mayor Abby Binay.

The three from the NP bloc are reelectionist Senators Imee Marcos and Pia Cayetano, and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, who will be swapping posts with her mother, Sen. Cynthia Villar who is reportedly eyeing the mayor's post in their home city.

Three candidates from Marcos' PFP have also been named: reelectionist Sen. Francis Tolentino, returning senator Manny Pacquiao and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos.

There will also be two from the ruling Lakas-CMD party,the country’s most dominant party, reelectionist Sen. Bong Revilla and Rep. Erwin Tulfo of party-list ACTCIS, a former broadcast journalist and DSWD chief.