The 2022 Philippine Senate election was the 34th election of members to the Senate of the Philippines for a six-year term. It was held on May 9, 2022.
The seats of the 12 senators elected in 2016 were contested in this election, and the senators that will be elected in this election serve until June 30, 2028. The winners of this election will join the winners of the 2019 election to form the Senate's delegation to the 19th Congress of the Philippines with the senators elected in 2019 serving until June 30, 2025.
As the senatorial and presidential candidates appeared on the same ballot on election day, presidential candidates were able to present or endorse a slate of senatorial candidates. This year's election was unique as it saw cross-endorsements of candidates across several slates.
Candidates associated with the UniTeam won a plurality of seats up for election, with three candidates associated with Team Robredo–Pangilinan winning seats. UniTeam candidate Migz Zubiri was elected Senate president.
Background In the 2019 midterm election, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the electoral coalition backed by the Duterte administration, won nine out of the twelve seats up, with three seats going to other parties and independents, and the primary opposition coalition, the Liberal Party-backed Otso Diretso, failed to win any seats. This led to the senators not affiliated with the Liberals to reelect Tito Sotto to the Senate presidency in 2019.
In 2021, Senator Panfilo Lacson said that a plot to oust Sotto from the Senate presidency allegedly "fizzled out" as the plotters failed to muster 13 votes to oust him.
Electoral system
The Philippines has a 24-member Senate elected at-large. Every three years since 1995, 12 seats are disputed. For 2022, the seats disputed in 2016 will be contested. Each voter has 12 votes, of which one can vote one to twelve candidates, or a multiple non-transferable vote; the twelve candidates with the most votes are elected.
Senators are limited to serving two consecutive terms, although they are eligible for a third (and succeeding) non-consecutive term. Only half of the seats are up in every senatorial election. The winning senators will succeed those elected in 2016, and will join those elected in 2019 to form the 19th Congress.
Each party or coalition endorses a slate of candidates, typically not exceeding a 12-person ticket. A party may also choose to invite "guest candidates" to complete its slate. The party may even include, with the candidates' consent, independent candidates and candidates from other parties as the party's guest candidates. Parties also may form coalitions to endorse a multi-party slate of candidates.
Winning candidates are proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC). The NBOC usually proclaims senators-elect by batches, if that candidate can no longer fall to worse than twelfth place in the tally. Post-proclamation disputes are handled by the Senate Electoral Tribunal, a body composed of six senators and three justices from the Supreme Court.
Participating parties +Parties currently in the SenatePartyCurrent seatsPrevious electionsBloc membership*Ideology*Political spectrumNot upUpTotal20162019MajorityMinority 3004Populism 3103ConservatismCenter-right 0350LiberalismCenter to center-left 1221ConservatismCenter-rightOther parties and independents5654VariesVariesTotal1212241212 *Note: Political parties in the Philippines typically don't adhere to any political spectrum because people usually vote based on personality rather than ideology. The current political party system is personalistic, not programmatic.
Party-switching before the election For senators running in this election cycle:
Panfilo Lacson (independent) switched to Reporma on July 29, 2021, to run for president. He left Reporma on March 24, 2022, to become an independent. Joel Villanueva (CIBAC) became an independent when he filed his candidacy to run for senator. Manny Pacquiao (PDP–Laban) switched to PROMDI when he filed his candidacy to run for president. Dick Gordon (Independent) switched to Bagumbayan–VNP when he filed his candidacy to run for senator.
For senators whose seats are not up:
Bong Go (PDP–Laban) switched to PDDS when he ran for president on November 13, 2021.
Term-limited and retiring incumbents Term limited incumbents The following are ineligible from running since they are on their second consecutive six-year term:
Franklin Drilon (Liberal), retiring In 2020, Drilon personally counted himself out in running for president in 2022. A year later, he said that he was planning to retire from politics after his term ends if the succeeding administration would not have a role for him. Ralph Recto (Nacionalista), running for House representative from Batangas's 6th district In 2021, Recto says that he mulls swapping positions with his wife, representative from Batangas Vilma Santos. Recto did file his candidacy to run for congressman from Batangas's 6th district, the seat Santos decided not to seek reelection for. Recto ran on his district unopposed, Tito Sotto (NPC), running for vice president of the Philippines In July 2020, Sotto said that retirement would be his first option in 2022, as opposed to running for a higher position. A year later, he said that he would be open to running for vice president as Senator Panfilo Lacson's running mate. A month after that announcement, Lacson announced that he would run for president, with Sotto as his running mate. Sotto lost the election to Sara Duterte.
Retiring incumbents The following senators' terms are ending in 2022. They were eligible to run again, but targeted other positions:
Panfilo Lacson (Reporma), running for president of the Philippines Lacson said in mid-2019 he would run for president if he has "a clear chance of winning." Two years later, it was announced that he would run for president instead of seeking re-election in the Senate, with an official announcement set on August 5. Days later, Lacson was sworn in as the new chairman of Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma. Lacson lost the election to Bongbong Marcos. Manny Pacquiao (PROMDI), running for president of the Philippines On September 19, Pacquiao at first officially accepted the nomination of PDP–Laban's Pimentel faction for president in the upcoming 2022 election. On October 1, Pacquiao filed his candidacy under PROMDI of the late Lito Osmeña, while there were leadership issues with PDP–Laban. Pacquiao lost the election to Bongbong Marcos. Francis Pangilinan (Liberal), running for vice president of the Philippines In June 2021, Pangilinan announced that he would initially seek reelection in 2022. In October, he was selected to be Leni Robredo's running mate. Pangilinan lost the election to Sara Duterte.
Running for another position mid-term Two incumbents initially ran for president and vice president, but both eventually withdrew: Ronald dela Rosa (PDP–Laban) Dela Rosa originally filed to run for president of the Philippines, as Bong Go's presidential running mate. Dela Rosa withdrew his candidacy on November 13. Bong Go (PDP–Laban) Go filed to run for vice president as dela Rosa's running mate. After Dela Rosa withdrew, Go withdrew his vice presidential candidacy to run for president, switching from PDP–Laban to Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS). Go himself officially withdrew on December 14. As both dela Rosa and Go withdrew, both won't give up their seats until their terms expire in 2025.
Marginal seats These are the marginal seats that had a winning margin of 5% or less against the 13th placed candidate in the 2016 election, in ascending order via margin: +IncumbentParty2016 margin2022 resultsLeila de LimaLiberal2.97%Incumbent lost reelectionRalph RectoNacionalista3.25%Incumbent term-limitedSherwin GatchalianNPC4.77%Incumbent won reelection
Coalitions As this Senate election is concurrently held with a presidential election, some presidential candidates have presented senatorial slates, which typically have up to 12 names to round up the twelve seats up for election. Due to a dispute, PDP–Laban, the ruling party, was split into two factions that are part of different coalitions. Some candidates are included in multiple coalitions as guest candidates.
1Sambayan After releasing its choices of presidential and vice presidential candidates on June 12, 2021, Independence Day, Howard Calleja, one of the convenors of the opposition group 1Sambayan (Isambayan) said that former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares was one of the group's choices to have their endorsement.
After the announcement of Leni Robredo's initial 11-person slate, 1Sambayan said it would also announce who they would support soon, while maintaining that they supported unconditionally the Robredo–Francis Pangilinan ticket for president and vice president. Antonio Trillanes accused Makabayan candidate Neri Colmenares of supporting Isko Moreno instead of backing 1Sambayan's candidate Leni Robredo. Makabayan denied endorsing the incumbent Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, pointing out they had yet to make a decision on the matter. On January 19, 2022, 1Sambayan endorsed 7 Senate bets in Robredo's ticket. Later that month, they endorsed Neri Colmenares, who is not included in Robredo's slate.
Aksyon Demokratiko Aksyon Demokratiko was in talks with Nationalist People's Coalition, United Nationalist Alliance, and Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma for an alliance. There have also been discussions between Aksyon president Isko Moreno and PDP–Laban's Manny Pacquiao faction, as well as between Moreno and the Liberal's Leni Robredo. On September 27, 2021, Aksyon announced two candidates, Samira Gutoc, who ran and lost in 2019 with the Liberals, and Carl Balita, for election. Former vice president and senator Noli de Castro filed to run for senator with Aksyon, but withdrew less than a week later. Jopet Sison, of Ipaglaban Mo! fame, replaced him. On February 24, Aksyon Demokratiko adopted John Castriciones of the PDP–Laban Cusi wing as a guest candidate, after a Duterte volunteer group he led endorsed Moreno the week before.
Labor and Ecology Advocates for Democracy
Leody de Guzman of Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) unveiled a Senate slate composed of nine people including two incumbents. The three people running under De Guzman's party PLM are labor leader Luke Espiritu of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) and environmentalists Roy Cabonegro and David D'angelo. On October, de Guzman endorsed six more names as guest candidates. On February 18, Teddy Baguilat was revealed as the 12th and final candidate included in the PLM's slate. After the completion of the slate, it was branded as "Labor and Ecology Advocates for Democracy."
Lacson–Sotto slate Senate President Tito Sotto announced his and Panfilo Lacson's candidacies for vice president and president, respectively, in July 2021. They also presented their initial list of possible senatorial candidates; these include mostly incumbents and former senators. In July 2021, an alliance between the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma has been the works with the possibility of the inclusion of Aksyon Demokratiko. A cooperation agreement has yet to be signed with the National Unity Party (NUP).
On October 14, Lacson hinted at a "surprise" senatorial candidate on their camp, while having already revealed 10 names, that includes incumbents. A day later, Lacson presented a 14-person slate (two more than the 12 open seats), which includes three from Lacson's Reporma, and six from Sotto's NPC.