List of senators of the Philippines who ran for president

Of the many officeholders who served as senator of the Philippines, only 28 individual senators have attempted to run for the presidency after being elected to the position. In summary, 39 presidential runs were from former or incumbent senators. Only nine were successfully elected or re-elected president.

The only presidents of the Philippines that were not senators before and after their presidency are Emilio Aguinaldo, Ramon Magsaysay, Diosdado Macapagal, Corazon Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, and Rodrigo Duterte.

This list includes the following: incumbent senators; former senators; and vice president-turned-presidents that were former senators.

The 1973 Philippine martial law referendum and 1977 Philippine presidential referendums are excluded because they were referendums and not specifically presidential elections. The 2010 Philippine presidential election had the most senators running for President with 4 incumbent senators and 1 former senators, 5 senators overall.

As of November 2025, Panfilo Lacson is the only senator who has run for president that is still serving in the Senate.

List of senators who ran for president Senators with the numbers of their popular vote, percentage, and place in bold won the presidency.

Former senators have their names in italics.

+Election YearSenator(date of service as senator prior to presidential run)Party/CoalitionPopular VotePercentagePlaceServed senator later?Winner of election1935 Manuel L. Quezon(October 16, 1916 – November 15, 1935) 695,33267.99%1stBecame presidentManuel L. Quezon1941Manuel L. Quezon(October 16, 1916 – November 15, 1935)1,340,32080.13%1stNo, served president until his death in 1944Juan Sumulong(June 5, 1934 – September 16, 1935) (Sumulong Wing)298,60817.85%2ndNo, died in 19421943Jose P. Laurel(June 2, 1925 – June 2, 1932)108100.00%UnopposedNo, imprisoned until 1946 and granted amnesty by Manuel RoxasHimself1946Manuel Roxas(July 9, 1945 – May 25, 1946)1,333,00653.93%1stNo, served president until his death in 1948Manuel RoxasSergio Osmeña(June 6, 1922 – November 15, 1935)1,129,99645.71%2ndNo, retired1949Elpidio Quirino(June 9, 1945 – May 28, 1946)1,803,80850.93%1stRe-elected presidentElpidio QuirinoJose P. Laurel(June 2, 1925 – June 2, 1932)1,318,33037.22%2ndYes, elected senator in 1951José Avelino(May 25, 1946 – December 30, 1951) (Avelino Wing)419,89011.85%3rdYes, served until 19511953Elpidio Quirino(June 9, 1945 – May 28, 1946) 1,313,99131.08%2ndNo, retiredRamon Magsaysay1957Carlos P. Garcia(May 25, 1945 – December 30, 1953)2,072,25741.28%1stRe-elected presidentCarlos P. GarciaJosé Yulo(June 9, 1945 – May 28, 1946) 1,386,82927.62%2ndNo, retiredClaro M. Recto(April 3, 1952 – October 2, 1960) 429,22620.90%4thYes, served until 19601961Carlos P. Garcia(May 25, 1945 – December 30, 1953)3,187,75242.88%2ndNo, retiredDiosdado Macapagal1965Ferdinand Marcos(December 30, 1959 – December 30, 1965)3,861,32451.94%1stBecame presidentFerdinand MarcosRaul Manglapus(December 30, 1961 – December 30, 1967)384,5645.17%3rdYes, served until 19671969Ferdinand Marcos(December 30, 1959 – December 30, 1965)5,017,34361.471stRe-elected presidentSergio Osmeña Jr.(December 30, 1965 – December 30, 1971)3,143,12238.51%2ndYes, served until 19711981Ferdinand Marcos(December 30, 1959 – December 30, 1965)18,309,36088.02%1stRe-elected president1986Ferdinand Marcos(December 30, 1959 – December 30, 1965)6,532,36247.71%2ndNo, removed from power and died in 1989Corazon Aquino1992Jovito Salonga(June 30, 1987 – June 30, 1992) 2,302,12310.16%6thNo, retiredFidel V. Ramos1998Joseph Estrada(June 30, 1987 – June 30, 1992) 10,722,29539.86%1stNo, resigned and arrested in 2001, later pardoned in 2007 by Gloria Macapagal ArroyoJoseph EstradaRaul Roco(June 30, 1992 – February 2, 2001) 3,720,21213.83%3rdYes, served until 2001Miriam Defensor Santiago(June 30, 1995 – June 30, 2001) 727,2062.96%7thYes, served until 2001Juan Ponce Enrile(June 30, 1995 – June 30, 2001) 343,1391.28%8thYes, served until 20012004Gloria Macapagal Arroyo(June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998)12,905,80839.99%1stNo, served president until 2010 and elected Representative for Pampanga's 2nd districtGloria Macapagal ArroyoPanfilo Lacson(June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2013) (Aquino Wing)3,510,08010.88%3rdYes, served until 2013Raul Roco(June 30, 1992 – February 2, 2001) 2,082,7626.45%4thNo, died in 20052010Benigno Aquino III(June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2010) 15,208,67842.08%1stNo, served president until 2016 and retiredBenigno Aquino IIIJoseph Estrada(June 30, 1987 – June 30, 1992) 9,487,83726.25%2ndNo, elected Mayor of Manila in 2013Manny Villar(June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2013)5,573,83515.42%3rdYes, served until 2013 and retiredDick Gordon(June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2010) 501,7271.39%6thYes, failed attempt in 2013 but elected in 2016Jamby Madrigal(June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2010)46,4890.13%8thNo, failed comeback in 2013 and retired2016Mar Roxas(June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2010)9,978,17523.45%2ndNo, failed comeback in 2019 and retiredRodrigo DuterteGrace Poe(June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2025)9,100,99121.39%3rdYes, served until 2025Miriam Defensor Santiago(June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2016)1,455,5323.42%5thNo, died in 20162022Bongbong Marcos(June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016)31,629,78358.77%1stIncumbent president since 2022Bongbong MarcosManny Pacquiao(June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022)3,663,1133.59%3rdNo, failed comeback in 2025 and retiredPanfilo Lacson(June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022)892,3751.66%5thYes, incumbent senator since 2025

See also List of vice presidents of the Philippines who ran for president List of presidents of the Philippines

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