Vice President Sara Duterte has completed her circle of “chosen ones.” With the addition of Representative Camille Villar, her list of senatorial candidates that now includes Senator Imee Marcos and the 10-man PDP Laban slate are vying for victory in the high-stakes 12 May midterm elections.

After days of speculation, the much-anticipated campaign video featuring Vice President Duterte and Representative Villar finally dropped on Monday. The video was shared on the official Facebook pages of Villar and her father, former Senate president Manny Villar.

The Vice President said the visions of Villar and Senator Marcos align with her father’s and the rest of the #Duter10 senatorial bets running under former President Duterte’s PDP Laban party.

“These candidates — including Senator Imee Marcos and Representative Camille Villar — share a common vision,” Duterte said. “A vision of a peaceful and prosperous Philippines.”

In the video, Duterte said in Filipino: “In times like these, we need true friends — those who genuinely care for the country and help the poor. With Camille Villar, I feel at ease. A better future is on the way.”

Duterte’s endorsement of Villar is seen as another blow to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s slate, the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipino, further deepening the cracks within the administration coalition and highlighting the growing divide between the country’s top political families.

Unlike Senator Marcos, however, Rep. Villar has not officially withdrawn from Alyansa.

In the ever-changing world of Philippine politics, the bond between the Duterte and Villar families has remained steady — built not just on political alignment, but on genuine friendship and shared values.

The alliance began years before national office, with former President Duterte and former Senate President Villar finding common ground in grassroots leadership and public service.

The Villars, known allies of the Dutertes, have remained loyal even as the political tides shifted. Both families are respected in their own right — but it’s their mutual trust, family-first mindset, and commitment to public service that have kept their friendship strong.

The Sara Duterte effect

In a political landscape shaken by former president Duterte’s controversial arrest, all eyes have shifted to Vice President Duterte — and just how much sway she holds in shaping the outcome of the upcoming 12 May elections.

Once seen as a quiet force behind the scenes, Sara has stepped fully into the spotlight, flexing her political muscle with carefully chosen endorsements.

From Senator Marcos to Rep. Villar and the full #Duter10 slate under her father’s PDP Laban, her stamp of approval has become one of the most sought-after on the campaign trail.

Political observers say Sara’s endorsements carry emotional weight — especially among the solid “Duterte base,” a loyal voting bloc still reeling from the former president’s arrest and detention in The Hague.

In times of political uncertainty, that base rallies behind Sara as the torchbearer of the Duterte legacy.

“She’s no longer just the vice president — she’s now the anchor of an entire movement,” said one analyst. “Her support can tilt the scales, especially for candidates trying to connect with Mindanao voters, OFWs and the working class.”