Veteran lawmakers and a broadcaster-turned-cabinet member secure spots in the Senate with backing from President Marcos
[FILES] President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas rally at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City on 18 February 2025.
Photo by Yummie Dingding
With backing from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., four prominent candidates under the administration’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate have secured seats in the Senate. Among the winners are broadcaster Erwin Tulfo, former senators Ping Lacson and Tito Sotto, and incumbent Lito Lapid—all of whom credited the President and their party for their election success.
News anchor Erwin Tulfo was proclaimed a senator on Saturday after garnering over 17 million votes in the midterm elections.
Erwin placed fourth among the 12 winning senatorial candidates. He will join his brother, incumbent Senator Raffy Tulfo, who also ranked third in the 2022 polls.
In his speech, he thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for backing his candidacy.
"Dear fellow Filipinos, thank you for believing in me. Thank you for choosing me as one of your representatives in the upper chamber," he said.
Erwin previously served as Social Welfare secretary under the Marcos administration, but his appointment was ultimately blocked by the Commission on Appointments due to a citizenship issue.
The Tulfo brothers will be among four sibling pairs in the upcoming Senate, along with Senators Pia and Alan Peter Cayetano, JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada, and Mark and Camille Villar.
Wag na wag kayong magnanakaw, wag niyong kukunin ang hindi sa inyo (Don't ever steal, don't ever take what is not yours)."
This was the lesson Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” Lacson learned from his mother, and it has become his guiding principle as a public servant.
Lacson also credited his father for instilling in him another core belief: "Ang tama ay ipaglaban, ang mali ay laging labanan (Fight for what is right, always stand against what is wrong)."
Lacson marked his comeback in the upper chamber by placing 7th in the midterm elections, receiving 15.1 million votes.
He ran under the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate.
Senator-elect Vicente “Tito” Sotto said one of his priority bills in the 20th Congress will be the implementation of an anti-fake news law and amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Previously, Sotto said he would push for a law that outlaws fake news and misleading content. He reiterated the plan during his proclamation on Saturday.
Sotto also plans to revise provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
“I would like to upgrade the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency into an authority,” he told reporters.
This will be Sotto’s fifth term in the upper chamber of Congress.
Senator Lito Lapid said he can finally breathe easier after securing the 11th spot in the senatorial race.
Now entering his fourth Senate term, Lapid vowed to work harder on legislation that will benefit poor Filipinos.
"Number 11 po ako. Nakakahinga na tayo. Nakahinga rin po (I placed 11th. I am now breathing easier)," Lapid, who ran under the Nationalist People's Coalition, said.
"Asahan niyo po, pang apat na term ko na po ito bilang senador at gagawin ko po ang lahat ng aking magagawa at sisipagan ko ang paghahanap ng mga batas para sa ating mamamayang Pilipino na mahihirap (Don't worry during my fourth term as a senator, I will do everything I can and work hard to find laws for our poor Filipino people)," he added.
Lapid also thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the administration-backed Alyansa sa Bagong Pilipinas slate, and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, the slate's campaign manager, for their support during his campaign.
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