In a post-election scenario, two likely outcomes may not necessarily complement each other. Those who would come up the winners in the senatorial race — by the people’s verdict — would be the President’s bets. On the other hand, those likely to be the losers in their congressional bids, inclusive of the partylists — cursed by the people — would be the signatories to the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, especially those hard and frontline attackers of the beleaguered former president’s daughter.

FM Jr.’s senatorial lineup, especially those running for reelection and those running vice their siblings who had reached their term limits, as well as the old returning senators, will leave no slots unfilled in favor of a new face.

Whereas, Duterte’s senatorial slate — most of them — would suffer from the misgivings of name recall that always has “controlling power” over who wins and who loses. If there are at least three in that lineup with residual populist support, Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, more so new Senate wannabe, Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, would have a narrow chance.

It would appear that the real political battlefront would be at the legislative district level.

All those who played prominent roles and who demonstrated political tradecraft in the so-called Quad Committee, assuming that they run again for the House, and who in effect persecuted VP Sara during the inquiry on confidential or agency funds might suffer the ignominy of the people’s wrath.

Everyone else found to have mangled the 2025 national budget based on their committee positions or authority — whatever public office they may run for — won’t have a dead man’s switch to save them.

Since in our system of euphemistic “good governance” the local government units appear to be relegated to the background, imperial Malacañang or the central government has practically little charge over these various LGUs.

The local leaders only rise to prominence during natural disasters when they have to ask the President to declare their jurisdictions under a state of emergency to draw financial support and relief goods or services. So far as the President is concerned, only the leaders of the Senate and the HoR matter, whose roles, by and large, cascade down to the local governments within their districts.

The 2025 election cycle and its resultant configuration will determine whether the next three years of the presidency will augur well for the betterment of this country and our people.

Will there be new actors or players to rule the Senate on the one hand and the House on the other? Put another way, what chance, if any, is there of new faces grabbing at least a few slots in the upcoming Senate when there are more than 12 former senators vying for reelection or are otherwise “old returning” (comeback-ers)? It has long been theorized, even proven by studies, that only incumbents, celebrities, and dynasts tend to win over and over again.

Whichever of the two-post election outcomes unfolds, it’s a win-win for two “ferociously” contending political forces, namely, the administration versus the opposition. The incumbent President still has the Senate as a major stronghold while the opposition will become the emerging and equally ferocious power bloc in our political constellation. In the end, it’s better to have a House that is left on its own.

May God save the Queen!