2016 Philippine Senate election
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The 2016 election of members to the Senate of the Philippines was the 32nd
election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...
of members to the
Senate of the Philippines The Senate of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Senado ng Pilipinas'', also ''Mataas na Kapulungan ng Pilipinas'' or "upper chamber") is the upper house of Congress of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines with the House of Representatives as ...
. The seats of 12 senators elected in 2010 were filled during this election. The winners in this election joined the winners of the 2013 election to form the
17th Congress of the Philippines The 17th Congress of the Philippines ( fil, Ikalabimpitong Kongreso ng Pilipinas), composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives, met from July 25, 2016, until June 4, 2019, during the first three years of Rodrigo Duterte's presi ...
. The senators elected in 2013 served until June 30, 2019, while the senators elected in this election would serve up to June 30, 2022. The Senate election was part of the 2016 general election where elections for the president of the Philippines, vice president, members of the Philippine House of Representatives, and all local officials, including those from the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ( tl, Rehiyong Awtonomo ng Muslim Mindanao; ar, الحكم الذاتي الاقليمي لمسلمي مندناو ''Al-ḥukm adh-dhātī al-'iqlīmī li-muslimī Mindanāu''; abbreviated as ARMM) was ...
, were held. The Senate election used a
plurality-at-large voting Plurality block voting, also known as plurality-at-large voting, block vote or block voting (BV) is a non- proportional voting system for electing representatives in multi-winner elections. Each voter may cast as many votes as the number of sea ...
system where the voter votes for 12 candidates, with each candidate getting one vote, and from which the twelve candidates with the highest number of votes are elected to serve for six years.


Electoral system

Philippine senatorial elections are done via the
plurality-at-large voting Plurality block voting, also known as plurality-at-large voting, block vote or block voting (BV) is a non- proportional voting system for electing representatives in multi-winner elections. Each voter may cast as many votes as the number of sea ...
system: the entire country is one
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
"district", where a voter can vote up to twelve people (one vote per candidate), with the twelve candidates with the highest number of votes deemed elected. Senators who are currently serving their second consecutive term are
term limit A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms an officeholder may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method of curbing the potenti ...
ed, although they may run again in 2019. Only half of the seats are up in every senatorial election. The winning senators replaced the batch elected in 2010, and joined the batch elected in 2013 in the 17th Congress. Each party has a
slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
of as many candidates as it desires, although parties don't usually exceed a 12-person
ticket Ticket or tickets may refer to: Slips of paper * Lottery ticket * Parking ticket, a ticket confirming that the parking fee was paid (and the time of the parking start) * Toll ticket, a slip of paper used to indicate where vehicles entered a tol ...
. A party may also choose to invite "guest candidates" to complete its slate. The party may even include, with the candidates' consent,
independent candidates An independent or non-partisan politician is a politician not affiliated with any political party or bureaucratic association. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent. Some politicians have political views th ...
and candidates from other parties as the party's guest candidates. A coalition of different parties may also be formed. In general elections where senators and presidents are elected at the same time, the presidential candidates often have their own slates of senatorial candidates. This means voters have more choices unlike in midterm elections, when there are usually only two major contending political forces. Winning candidates are proclaimed by the
Commission on Elections An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
(COMELEC) sitting as the National Board of Canvassers. Candidates are proclaimed senators-elect if the thirteenth-place candidate no longer has a mathematical chance of surpassing the twelfth-place candidate. Post-proclamation disputes are handled by the
Senate Electoral Tribunal The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) is an electoral tribunal that decides election protests in the Senate of the Philippines. It consists of 6 senators nominated by the Senate, and 3 justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, who are desig ...
, a body composed of six senators and three justices from the
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
.


Coalitions

A coalition led by the
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...
(LP) of Interior and Local Government Secretary
Mar Roxas Manuel "Mar" Araneta Roxas II (; born May 13, 1957) is a Filipino politician who served as a Senator of the Philippines. He is the grandson and namesake of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas. He served in the Cabinet of the Philippines as ...
, the successor of the administration-backed
Team PNoy Team PNoy, formerly known as the LP–Akbayan–NPC–NP–LDP Coalition, was a political umbrella coalition in the Philippines, originally formed to support the administration-backed senatorial line-up for the 2013 Philippine Senate election. Tea ...
coalition In 2013, and the primary opposition
United Nationalist Alliance The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA; ) is a political party in the Philippines. It was created as a multi-party electoral alliance replacing the former United Opposition (UNO) coalition for the 2013 midterm elections, before it was launche ...
of Vice President
Jejomar Binay Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III. A hu ...
, put up senatorial slates. Aside from these coalitions, candidates running for president also put up their own opposition slates. Some candidates are included in more than one coalitions.


Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid

The senatorial ticket of the Liberal Party called as "
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid The Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid ( Lit.: Coalition of the Right Path) was the umbrella of the administration-backed presidential and senatorial line-up for the 2016 Philippine Senate election. It is composed mostly of supporters of Mar Roxas, who ...
" (Coalition for the Straight Path), was unveiled last October 12, 2015 at the LP's headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City led by President Aquino III, and the Roxas and Robredo tandem. In a resolution passed September 30, 2015, the LP National Directorate, and LP National Executive Council nominated incumbent senators
Franklin Drilon Franklin Magtunao Drilon (born November 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and former politician. He had the longest tenure in the Senate of the Philippines (tied with Lorenzo Tañada, Tito Sotto and incumbent Loren Legarda), having served four no ...
, TG Guingona and
Ralph Recto Ralph Gonzalez Recto (; born January 11, 1964) is a Filipino politician, who, since 2022, is serving as the representative for Batangas' 6th district and is one of the House Deputy Speakers. He previously served three terms in the Senate: f ...
, former
Department of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
(DOJ) secretary Leila de Lima and former senator
Francis Pangilinan Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2004 to 2008. A ...
for inclusion. LP Standard-bearer Mar Roxas also declared former Energy Secretary and former
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has be ...
governor
Jericho Petilla Carlos Jericho "Icot" Loreto Petilla is a Filipino politician. He ran as a senator in the Philippines under the Liberal Party (LP) during the 2016 Philippine general election, 2016 General Elections in the Philippines. He is also a former Secre ...
(LP) as part of the slate. On October 12, 2015, Interior and Local Government Assistant Secretary for Muslim Affairs and Special Concerns Ina Ambolodto, PhilHealth Board Director
Risa Hontiveros Ana Theresia Navarro Hontiveros-Baraquel (; born February 24, 1966) is a Filipino politician, community leader, and journalist who has been serving as a senator of the Philippines since 2016. She previously served as a party-list representa ...
, COOP-NATCCO Party List Representative Cresente Paez and
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA ; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Edukasyong Teknikal at Pagpapaunlad ng Kasanayan) serves as the Philippines' Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) authority. As a government a ...
Director General
Joel Villanueva Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva (, born August 2, 1975), nicknamed "Tesdaman", is a Filipino politician serving as the Senate Majority Leader since 2022 and has been a Senator since 2016. He previously served as the Director General of the Techn ...
were included in the slate.


Partido Galing at Puso

The senatorial slate of
Grace Poe Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe-Llamanzares (baptized September 3, 1968) is a Filipino politician, businesswoman, educator, and philanthropist serving as a senator since 2013. She was the chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Class ...
, known as "Partido Galing at Puso," included independents and candidates from other political parties. The coalition line up was unveiled for the first time after the last day of filing on October 16, 2015. It included
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
vice mayor
Isko Moreno Francisco Moreno Domagoso (born October 24, 1974), popularly known by his stage name Isko Moreno or Isko Moreno Domagoso (), is a Filipino politician and actor who previously served as the 27th mayor of Manila from 2019 to 2022. Before headi ...
, congressman
Win Gatchalian Sherwin Ting Gatchalian (born April 6, 1974), known as Win Gatchalian, is a Filipino politician and businessman serving as a Senator since 2016. A member of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), he previously served as the Representative of ...
, worker advocate Susan Ople, incumbent senator
Tito Sotto Vicente Castelo Sotto III (; born August 24, 1948), professionally known as Tito Sotto, is a Filipino politician, entertainer and athlete who served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022. Before that, had two stints each as Senate Majority Lea ...
, Bayan Muna congressman
Neri Colmenares Neri Javier Colmenares (, born December 4, 1959) is a Filipino human rights lawyer and activist. He was an associate of the Asian Law Centre at Melbourne Law School when he was completing his Ph.D. in law on "The Writ of Amparo and the Internat ...
, actor
Edu Manzano Eduardo "Edu" Manzano (; born September 14, 1955) is a Filipino American, Filipino-American actor, fashion model, TV commercial model, comedian, politician, United States Air Force veteran and television game host. He was previously the host of ...
, lawyer Lorna Kapunan, party-list congressman
Samuel Pagdilao Samuel Duldulao Pagdilao, Jr. (born February 13, 1957), is a retired Filipino police officer and politician who served in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2016. Pagdilao used to work as director general of the Philippine National Poli ...
, former senator
Juan Miguel Zubiri Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernandez Zubiri (; born April 13, 1969) is a Filipino businessman and politician serving as the President of the Senate of the Philippines, Senate President of the Philippines since July 25, 2022. Since 2016, he has been on ...
, and
Richard J. Gordon Richard Juico Gordon (born August 5, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who most recently served as a Senate of the Philippines, Senator from 2016 to 2022, and previously from 2004 to 2010. He is the chairman and CEO of the Philippine R ...
, congressman
Roman Romulo Roman Tecson Romulo (born February 28, 1967) is a Filipino politician and lawyer. He served as a member of House of Representatives representing the Lone District of Pasig for four consecutive terms from 2007 to 2016 and from 2019 to present. ...
, On October 29, 2015 the senatorial coalition line up was unveiled at
Club Filipino Club Filipino (pronounced ''klub'') was the first exclusive social club in the Philippines, founded on November 6, 1898 by Filipino high society, including Spanish ''mestizos'' and members of the native aristocracy. It is located between North Gr ...
.


Term-limited and retiring incumbents


Term limited

The following are barred from seeking reelection, although they can be elected anew in 2019: #
Pia Cayetano Pilar Juliana Schramm Cayetano KGCR (born March 22, 1966), known as Pia Cayetano, is a Filipina politician and lawyer serving as a Senator since 2019, a position she previously held from 2004 to 2016. She was also the Representative of Tagu ...
( NP) #:Won the election for House representative from
Taguig Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig ( fil, Lungsod ng Taguig), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 886,722 people. Located in the northwestern shores of ...
's 2nd district. Cayetano ran for senator in 2019 and won. #
Miriam Defensor Santiago Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago (''née'' Defensor; June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, author, and stateswoman who served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executiv ...
( PRP) #:Ran for president and lost. Santiago subsequently died in September 2016. # Juan Ponce Enrile (
UNA Una and UNA may refer to: Places * 160 Una, the asteroid "Una", an asteroid named after the Faerie Queene character * Una River (disambiguation), numerous rivers * Una, Himachal Pradesh, a town in India ** Una, Himachal Pradesh Assembly constit ...
) #:In December 2013, Enrile said he would retire from politics, denying reports he would run for governor of Cagayan province. Enrile ran for senator in 2019 and lost. #
Jinggoy Estrada Jose Pimentel Ejercito Jr. (; born February 17, 1963), also known as Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada or simply Jinggoy Estrada, is a Filipino politician, film actor, and producer serving as a Senator since 2022, and previously from 2004 to 2016. He ...
(
UNA Una and UNA may refer to: Places * 160 Una, the asteroid "Una", an asteroid named after the Faerie Queene character * Una River (disambiguation), numerous rivers * Una, Himachal Pradesh, a town in India ** Una, Himachal Pradesh Assembly constit ...
) #:In detention due to corruption charges and his alleged involvement in the
Priority Development Assistance Fund scam The Priority Development Assistance Fund scam, also called the PDAF scam or the pork barrel scam, is a political scandal involving the alleged misuse by several members of the Congress of the Philippines of their Priority Development Assistance ...
, Estrada told reporters that after his August 2014 bail hearing he would "run in 2016 for a higher office" and that he would be Vice President
Jejomar Binay Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III. A hu ...
's running mate. However, this did not materialize, with
Gregorio Honasan Gregorio "Gringo" Ballesteros Honasan II (, born March 14, 1948), is a Filipino politician and a cashiered Philippine Army officer who led unsuccessful coups d'état against President Corazon Aquino. He played a key role in the 1986 EDSA Rev ...
finally chosen by his party 's running to be Binay's running mate. Estrada ran for senator in 2019 and lost. Estrada ran again for senator in 2022 and won. #
Lito Lapid Manuel "Lito" Mercado Lapid (; born October 25, 1955) is a Filipino actor and politician serving as a Senator since 2019, and previously from 2004 to 2016. He started his political career in Pampanga, serving as vice governor from 1992 to 1995 ...
(
Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...
) #:In January 2015, Lapid announced that he would run for mayor of
Angeles City , anthem = Himno ning Angeles (Angeles Hymn) , subdivision_type3 = District , subdivision_name3 = , established_title = Settled , established_date = 1796 , established_title1 = Chartere ...
. Lapid eventually lost. Lapid ran for senator in 2019 and won. #
Bong Revilla Ramon Bautista Bong Revilla Jr. (; born Jose Mari Bautista; September 25, 1966) and commonly known as Bong Revilla, is a Filipino actor, television presenter and politician serving as a Senator since 2019, and previously from 2004 to 2016. The ...
( Lakas) #:In detention due to corruption charges and his alleged involvement in the
Priority Development Assistance Fund scam The Priority Development Assistance Fund scam, also called the PDAF scam or the pork barrel scam, is a political scandal involving the alleged misuse by several members of the Congress of the Philippines of their Priority Development Assistance ...
, Revilla expressed that he was considering a 2016 presidential campaign and a return to show business. However, this did not materialize. Revilla ran for senator in 2019 and won. Other incumbent senators may seek other political offices in 2016.


Retiring incumbents

The following senators' terms are ending in 2016, are eligible to run, but targeted other positions: #
Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. ( , , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. He previously served as a senat ...
(Independent) #:Ran for vice president as
Miriam Defensor Santiago Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago (''née'' Defensor; June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, author, and stateswoman who served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executiv ...
's ( PRP)
running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint Ticket (election), ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate ...
and lost.


Running for another office mid-term

The following senators' terms ended in 2019. They could run for other positions, but could return to the Senate if they lose; have they won, they were expected to forfeit their Senate seats once the terms of their new position started: #
Alan Peter Cayetano Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano (Tagalog pronunciation: ajɛˈtano born October 28, 1970) is a Filipino politician, lawyer, and diplomat serving as a Senator since 2022 and previously from 2007 to 2017. He was the Senate Minority Leader from 20 ...
(Independent) #:Ran for vice president as
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
's (
PDP–Laban Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist List of political parties in the Philippines, political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party al ...
) running mate and lost. # Francis Escudero (Independent) #:Ran for vice president as
Grace Poe Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe-Llamanzares (baptized September 3, 1968) is a Filipino politician, businesswoman, educator, and philanthropist serving as a senator since 2013. She was the chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Class ...
's (independent) running mate and lost. #
Gregorio Honasan Gregorio "Gringo" Ballesteros Honasan II (, born March 14, 1948), is a Filipino politician and a cashiered Philippine Army officer who led unsuccessful coups d'état against President Corazon Aquino. He played a key role in the 1986 EDSA Rev ...
(
UNA Una and UNA may refer to: Places * 160 Una, the asteroid "Una", an asteroid named after the Faerie Queene character * Una River (disambiguation), numerous rivers * Una, Himachal Pradesh, a town in India ** Una, Himachal Pradesh Assembly constit ...
) #:Ran for vice president as
Jejomar Binay Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III. A hu ...
's (
UNA Una and UNA may refer to: Places * 160 Una, the asteroid "Una", an asteroid named after the Faerie Queene character * Una River (disambiguation), numerous rivers * Una, Himachal Pradesh, a town in India ** Una, Himachal Pradesh Assembly constit ...
) running mate and lost. #
Grace Poe Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe-Llamanzares (baptized September 3, 1968) is a Filipino politician, businesswoman, educator, and philanthropist serving as a senator since 2013. She was the chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Class ...
(Independent) #:Ran for president and lost. # Antonio Trillanes (Independent) #:Running for vice president with no running mate but is supporting Grace Poe's candidacy, and lost. None of the candidates whose terms ended in 2019 won, thereby giving the Senate a full 24-person membership at the start of the next Congress. Cayetano is a member of the
Nacionalista Party The Nacionalista Party (Filipino and Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; ) is the oldest political party in both the Philippines and in Southeast Asia in general. It is responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th ce ...
, so were Marcos and Trillanes, but all did not win that party's nomination to run as vice president. Instead, they were running as independents in the vice presidential election. Cayetano and Trillanes were expected to return to the Senate as Nacionalistas once the Senate opened its session for the 17th Congress.


Campaign

In March 2015,
Walden Bello Walden Flores Bello (born November 11, 1945) is a Filipino academic, environmentalist, and social activist who served as a member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. He is an international adjunct professor at Binghamton Univers ...
resigned his position in Congress and from the
Akbayan The Akbayan Citizens' Action Party, better known as Akbayan (), is a democratic socialist and progressive political party in the Philippines. Akbayan is noted as a leading member of the progressive movement in the Philippines, having been forme ...
party, which is allied with President
Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
, due to conflicts with Aquino that surrounded the Disbursement Acceleration Program and the Mamasapano incident. As a result of the Mamasapano clash,
Getulio Napeñas Getulio Pascua Napeñas, Jr. (born July 18, 1959) is a Filipino politician and retired police officer who served as commander of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) from 2013 until 2015. He is blamed for the ill-fated Mama ...
was relieved from his position and later retired. On May 20, 2015, the
Office of the Ombudsman An ombudsman (, also ,), ombud, ombuds, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is an official who is usually appointed by the government or by parliament (usually with a significant degree of independence) to investigate complaints and at ...
dismissed the complaint filed by former
Iloilo Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...
provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada against Senator
Franklin Drilon Franklin Magtunao Drilon (born November 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and former politician. He had the longest tenure in the Senate of the Philippines (tied with Lorenzo Tañada, Tito Sotto and incumbent Loren Legarda), having served four no ...
, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., and other officials involved in the construction of the
Iloilo Convention Center Iloilo Convention Center is a convention center in the Iloilo Business Park in the district of Mandurriao, Iloilo City, Philippines. It stands on the site of Iloilo's former airport, Mandurriao Airport. History Iloilo-Mandurriao Airport Iloilo ...
. On August 7, 2015, Senator
Gringo Honasan Gregorio "Gringo" Ballesteros Honasan II (, born March 14, 1948), is a Filipino politician and a cashiered Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) (Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of th ...
, former CIBAC congressman and now TESDA chair
Joel Villanueva Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva (, born August 2, 1975), nicknamed "Tesdaman", is a Filipino politician serving as the Senate Majority Leader since 2022 and has been a Senator since 2016. He previously served as the Director General of the Techn ...
, and seven other former and incumbent lawmakers were charged before the
Office of the Ombudsman An ombudsman (, also ,), ombud, ombuds, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is an official who is usually appointed by the government or by parliament (usually with a significant degree of independence) to investigate complaints and at ...
in connection with the
pork barrel scam The Priority Development Assistance Fund scam, also called the PDAF scam or the pork barrel scam, is a political scandal involving the alleged misuse by several members of the Congress of the Philippines of their Priority Development Assistance ...
. In August 2015, Leila de Lima assisted Isaias Samson, an expelled minister of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), in filing a case against the sect. Members protested at the DOJ office the next day while others occupied
EDSA Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronym EDSA, is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It passes through 6 of Metro Manila's 17 local government units or cities, ...
in
Mandaluyong Mandaluyong, officially the City of Mandaluyong ( fil, Lungsod ng Mandaluyong), is a first class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 425,758 people. Loca ...
a few days later to urge de Lima to resign, and give focus to the
Mamasapano clash The Mamasapano clash was a shootout that took place during a police operation by the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on January 25, 2015, in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, then-undivided Maguindanao (which is now ...
where two members of the INC were killed. On September 15, 2015,
Francis Pangilinan Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2004 to 2008. A ...
announced his resignation from the cabinet of President Benigno Aquino III. On September 29, 2015,
Francis Tolentino Francis N Tolentino (; is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as a Senator since 2019. He served as Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) from 2010 to 2015 and was the Mayor of Tagaytay from 1995 to 2004. For ...
spoke in
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
for his intention to run for the Senate under Aquino's
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...
. However, controversy surrounding a lewd performance in a political rally in Santa Cruz, Laguna forced him to resign from the party.
Grace Poe Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe-Llamanzares (baptized September 3, 1968) is a Filipino politician, businesswoman, educator, and philanthropist serving as a senator since 2013. She was the chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Class ...
and Francis Escudero revealed that eight candidates were named on the initial list of their senatorial slate. On September 30, 2015, Poe endorsed
Bayan Muna Bayan Muna () is a party-list in the Philippines, a member of the leftist political coalition Makabayan. The motto of the party is ''"New Politics, the Politics of Change"'', against "traditional, elitist, pro-imperialist politics". Its platform i ...
representative
Neri Colmenares Neri Javier Colmenares (, born December 4, 1959) is a Filipino human rights lawyer and activist. He was an associate of the Asian Law Centre at Melbourne Law School when he was completing his Ph.D. in law on "The Writ of Amparo and the Internat ...
. On October 12, 2015, the
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...
announced its complete senatorial line-up in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
under the ''
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid The Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid ( Lit.: Coalition of the Right Path) was the umbrella of the administration-backed presidential and senatorial line-up for the 2016 Philippine Senate election. It is composed mostly of supporters of Mar Roxas, who ...
''. The
United Nationalist Alliance The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA; ) is a political party in the Philippines. It was created as a multi-party electoral alliance replacing the former United Opposition (UNO) coalition for the 2013 midterm elections, before it was launche ...
completed their slate on October 21, 2015.
Panfilo Lacson Panfilo "Ping" Morena Lacson Sr. (; born June 1, 1948) is a Filipino former politician and police general who served as a Senate of the Philippines, Senator for three terms: from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Chief of the Phil ...
accused Poe of favoring actor
Edu Manzano Eduardo "Edu" Manzano (; born September 14, 1955) is a Filipino American, Filipino-American actor, fashion model, TV commercial model, comedian, politician, United States Air Force veteran and television game host. He was previously the host of ...
over himself on October 27, 2015 when it was reported that Manzano was joining the Senate slate of Poe. On October 29, 2015, Poe and Escudero announced in an event held in
Club Filipino Club Filipino (pronounced ''klub'') was the first exclusive social club in the Philippines, founded on November 6, 1898 by Filipino high society, including Spanish ''mestizos'' and members of the native aristocracy. It is located between North Gr ...
, San Juan, the complete senatorial slate for the ''Partido Galing at Puso'' coalition. In an event commemorating
Typhoon Haiyan Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the ...
in
Tacloban Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban ( war, Syudad han Tacloban; fil, Lungsod ng Tacloban), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. The city is autonomous from the province of Leyte, a ...
on November 7, 2015,
Martin Romualdez Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez (, born November 14, 1963) is a Filipino businessman, lawyer and politician serving as the Speaker of the House of Representatives since July 25, 2022. He is also serving as the Representative for the 1st di ...
, the nephew of
Imelda Marcos Imelda Romualdez Marcos (; born Imelda Remedios Visitacion Trinidad Romualdez; July 2, 1929) is a Filipino politician who served as the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986, wielding significant political power during the dictator ...
, declared his support for
Jejomar Binay Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III. A hu ...
. On November 14, 2015, in an interview by
ABS-CBN News Channel ABS-CBN News Channel, commonly known as ANC, is a 24/7 Philippine pay television news channel. It was launched in 1996 as the first all-news network in English language. The majority of its programs are produced by ABS-CBN News. The channel is ...
,
Karen Davila Kristine Karen Lising Davila-Sta. Ana (; born November 21, 1970), professionally known as Karen Davila, is a Filipino journalist. Early life Davila went to high school at the Colegio San Agustin – Makati. She took a degree of Bachelor of A ...
asked
Alma Moreno Venesa Moreno Lacsamana (born; May 25, 1959), professionally known as Alma Moreno, is a Filipina actress and politician. Early life Moreno was born in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur to her parents Frank Lacsamana, from Pampanga, and Jean Moreno. Acting ...
with questions regarding the Reproductive Health Law. The interview went viral when Moreno was unable to answer coherently. In November 2015,
Princess Jacel Kiram Jamalul ibni Punjungan Kiram III (16 July 1938 – 20 October 2013) was a former self-proclaimed List of sultans of Sulu, Sultan of the Sultanate of Sulu, Sulu Sultanate who claimed to be "the poorest sultan in the world". He was known as an u ...
and
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n politician
Nurul Izzah Anwar Nurul Izzah binti Anwar ( Jawi: ; born 19 November 1980) is a Malaysian politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Permatang Pauh from May 2018 to November 2022 and for Lembah Pantai from March 2008 to May 2018. A member of the ...
posted a photo demanding Malaysian Prime Minister
Najib Razak Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak ( ms, محمد نجيب بن عبد الرزاق, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, ; born 23 July 1953) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th prime minister of Malaysi ...
to free opposition leader
Anwar Ibrahim Anwar bin Ibrahim ( ms, انور بن ابراهيم, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset, IPA: ; born 10 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia since November 2022. He served as the 12 ...
which was received negatively in that country, prompting Nurul Izzah to apologize. On November 17, 2015, in a vote of 5–4, the
Senate Electoral Tribunal The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) is an electoral tribunal that decides election protests in the Senate of the Philippines. It consists of 6 senators nominated by the Senate, and 3 justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, who are desig ...
denied the
petition A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offici ...
filed by aspiring 2016 presidential candidate Rizalito David for the disqualification of
Grace Poe Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe-Llamanzares (baptized September 3, 1968) is a Filipino politician, businesswoman, educator, and philanthropist serving as a senator since 2013. She was the chairperson of the Movie and Television Review and Class ...
as a senator. On December 14, 2015, the court rejected
Jovito Palparan Jovito Salvaña Palparan Jr. (born September 11, 1950) is a retired Army general, former politician, and a convicted criminal. From July 2003 to July 2004, he was the commander of the Philippine Humanitarian Contingent in the Iraq War. He also ...
's bid to be released on bail despite his plea that he is running for Senate. On January 26, 2016, the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee concluded its hearings on the corruption allegations against Vice President and UNA presidential candidate Jejomar Binay. Campaigning for the Senate elections began on February 9, 2016. The United Nationalist Alliance's campaign started with a proclamation rally held in
Mandaluyong Mandaluyong, officially the City of Mandaluyong ( fil, Lungsod ng Mandaluyong), is a first class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 425,758 people. Loca ...
on that same day. The 10-person senatorial line-up of
Miriam Defensor Santiago Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago (''née'' Defensor; June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, author, and stateswoman who served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executiv ...
's campaign were unveiled during a campaign event at the
Ynares Sports Arena The Ynares Sports Arena is an indoor arena located in Pasig, Philippines. The stadium has hosted the basketball games of the Philippine Basketball Association, Philippine Basketball League, and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, as well as co ...
on February 14, 2016. On February 15, 2016,
PDP–Laban Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist List of political parties in the Philippines, political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party al ...
, the party of
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
announced that it would not have a senatorial slate so that the party can concentrate on promoting the candidate. On February 15, 2016, UNA senatorial candidate
Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
, in a video statement posted by TV5 for its ''Bilang Pilipino'' coverage, made a comment on the issue of
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...
. He described people in these marriages as "mas masahol pa sa hayop" (
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
Translation: behaving worse than animals.) Pacquiao later apologized and stated that as a
Born Again Christian Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sep ...
, he is against same-sex marriage, based on
Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
teachings but he did not condemn gay people.
Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
ended their longtime partnership with Pacquiao stating that his comments against gay people were abhorrent. Bello filed a petition that may disqualify Pacquiao for violating election rules regarding publicity. Based on the commission's rules, Pacquiao's wife,
Jinkee Pacquiao Maria Geraldine Capeña Jamora Pacquiao (née Jamora; born January 12, 1979), more known as Jinkee Pacquiao is a Filipina socialite, media personality, occasional film producer and former politician who served as a vice governor of Sarangani, Min ...
, may substitute. On February 22, 2016,
Richard J. Gordon Richard Juico Gordon (born August 5, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who most recently served as a Senate of the Philippines, Senator from 2016 to 2022, and previously from 2004 to 2010. He is the chairman and CEO of the Philippine R ...
filed a petition to the
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
to reverse a decision by the
Comelec COMELEC or Comelec may refer to any of the following: * Commission on Elections (Philippines) (Comelec) * North African Power Pool The Comité Maghrébin de l'Electricité (COMELEC), also Maghreb Electricity Committee and North African Power Poo ...
from refraining to print receipts from the voting machines.
Greco Belgica Greco Antonious Beda Banta Belgica (born March 27, 1978) is a Filipino politician who most recently served as chairman of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) under the Duterte administration from March to October 2021. Educat ...
followed suit.


Candidates

A total of 50 candidates were included in the initial list of candidates to be included in the ballot. *Guest candidates


Opinion polling

Opinion polling, locally known as surveys in the Philippines, is conducted by
Social Weather Stations The Social Weather Stations or SWS is a social research institution in the Philippines founded in August 1985. It is a private, non-stock, nonprofit institution. It is the foremost public-opinion polling body in the Philippines. As an independent ...
(SWS),
Pulse Asia Pulse Asia Research Inc. is a public opinion polling body in the Philippines. It was founded by Professor Emeritus Felipe B. Miranda (M.A. Political Science, University of Chicago) of the University of the Philippines Diliman. Pulse Asia Inc. wa ...
and other pollsters. The frontrunner is in bold. Those which are within the margin of error are in ''italics''.


Per candidate

This list includes all individuals named by at least 10% of respondents in any of the eight conducted surveys. The top 16 candidates with the highest favourability in each poll are listed below, where the top 12 is marked with a "black line". For a comprehensive list of all individuals included in the surveys, and other surveys that have been conducted before 2016, see the main article.


Results

The Commission on Elections, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, convened for the first time on May 11, receiving the first batch of certificates of canvass, totaling 40, from various cities and diplomatic outposts. The camp of
Francis Tolentino Francis N Tolentino (; is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as a Senator since 2019. He served as Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) from 2010 to 2015 and was the Mayor of Tagaytay from 1995 to 2004. For ...
, the 13th-placed candidate, citing the alteration by
Smartmatic Smartmatic (also referred as Smartmatic Corp. or Smartmatic International) or Smartmatic SGO Group is a multinational company that builds and implements electronic voting systems. The company also produces smart cities solutions (including publ ...
to the script at the commission's "Transparency server", objected to the impending proclamation of the winning senators by securing a restraining order at the
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
, but failed. On May 31, the SC has dismissed Tolentino's petition for being "moot and academic". The commission proclaimed the 12 winning candidates on May 19 The senators elect include 3 senators-elect who were reelected, 4 returning senators from previous Congresses, and 5 neophytes. Seven candidates from
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid The Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid ( Lit.: Coalition of the Right Path) was the umbrella of the administration-backed presidential and senatorial line-up for the 2016 Philippine Senate election. It is composed mostly of supporters of Mar Roxas, who ...
won, four from Partido Galing at Puso, and one from the
United Nationalist Alliance The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA; ) is a political party in the Philippines. It was created as a multi-party electoral alliance replacing the former United Opposition (UNO) coalition for the 2013 midterm elections, before it was launche ...
. The three senators who successfully defended their seats were
Franklin Drilon Franklin Magtunao Drilon (born November 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and former politician. He had the longest tenure in the Senate of the Philippines (tied with Lorenzo Tañada, Tito Sotto and incumbent Loren Legarda), having served four no ...
,
Ralph Recto Ralph Gonzalez Recto (; born January 11, 1964) is a Filipino politician, who, since 2022, is serving as the representative for Batangas' 6th district and is one of the House Deputy Speakers. He previously served three terms in the Senate: f ...
and
Tito Sotto Vicente Castelo Sotto III (; born August 24, 1948), professionally known as Tito Sotto, is a Filipino politician, entertainer and athlete who served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022. Before that, had two stints each as Senate Majority Lea ...
. There were four senators who returned to the Senate. These were
Richard J. Gordon Richard Juico Gordon (born August 5, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who most recently served as a Senate of the Philippines, Senator from 2016 to 2022, and previously from 2004 to 2010. He is the chairman and CEO of the Philippine R ...
,
Panfilo Lacson Panfilo "Ping" Morena Lacson Sr. (; born June 1, 1948) is a Filipino former politician and police general who served as a Senate of the Philippines, Senator for three terms: from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Chief of the Phil ...
,
Francis Pangilinan Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2004 to 2008. A ...
, and
Juan Miguel Zubiri Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernandez Zubiri (; born April 13, 1969) is a Filipino businessman and politician serving as the President of the Senate of the Philippines, Senate President of the Philippines since July 25, 2022. Since 2016, he has been on ...
. Five senators entered the chamber for the first time. These were Leila de Lima,
Win Gatchalian Sherwin Ting Gatchalian (born April 6, 1974), known as Win Gatchalian, is a Filipino politician and businessman serving as a Senator since 2016. A member of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), he previously served as the Representative of ...
,
Risa Hontiveros Ana Theresia Navarro Hontiveros-Baraquel (; born February 24, 1966) is a Filipino politician, community leader, and journalist who has been serving as a senator of the Philippines since 2016. She previously served as a party-list representa ...
,
Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
and
Joel Villanueva Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva (, born August 2, 1975), nicknamed "Tesdaman", is a Filipino politician serving as the Senate Majority Leader since 2022 and has been a Senator since 2016. He previously served as the Director General of the Techn ...
. De Lima won her first election; this was the first election of Villanueva with his name on the ballot instead of his party (him being a nominee of the
Citizens' Battle Against Corruption The Citizens' Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC ) is a political organization in the Philippines, founded in 1997. It is a party-list member in the House of Representatives of the Philippines, and is dedicated towards fighting graft, corruption ...
in party-list elections); this was the first senatorial election for both Gatchalian and Pacquiao; and this was the third attempt of Hontiveros. Incumbents
Sergio Osmeña III Sergio may refer to: * Sergio (given name), for people with the given name Sergio * Sergio (carbonado), the largest rough diamond ever found * ''Sergio'' (album), a 1994 album by Sergio Blass * ''Sergio'' (2009 film), a documentary film * ''Se ...
and TG Guingona did not successfully defend their seats. Composition of the Senate before and after the election: Key: * ‡ Seats up * + Gained by a party from another party * √ Held by the incumbent * * Held by the same party with a new senator Notes: *
Alan Peter Cayetano Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano (Tagalog pronunciation: ajɛˈtano born October 28, 1970) is a Filipino politician, lawyer, and diplomat serving as a Senator since 2022 and previously from 2007 to 2017. He was the Senate Minority Leader from 20 ...
,
Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. ( , , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. He previously served as a senat ...
and Antonio Trillanes, who all ran for the vice presidency as independents, are shown as members of the
Nacionalista Party The Nacionalista Party (Filipino and Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; ) is the oldest political party in both the Philippines and in Southeast Asia in general. It is responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th ce ...
both before and after the election. *
Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
ran under the
United Nationalist Alliance The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA; ) is a political party in the Philippines. It was created as a multi-party electoral alliance replacing the former United Opposition (UNO) coalition for the 2013 midterm elections, before it was launche ...
during the election, but switched to
PDP–Laban Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist List of political parties in the Philippines, political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party al ...
before the 17th Congress convened. He is shown here as a member of the PDP–Laban in the results tables, except for the "Per candidate" table, and on the "Per party" table's "Wins" column, where he is shown as an UNA member. In all other tables, including the "Per party" table's "Start" column, he is a PDP–Laban member.


Per candidate


Per coalition

*The seats won totals does not account for guest candidates.


Per party

Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
won the election as a candidate of
United Nationalist Alliance The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA; ) is a political party in the Philippines. It was created as a multi-party electoral alliance replacing the former United Opposition (UNO) coalition for the 2013 midterm elections, before it was launche ...
(UNA), but later joined the
PDP–Laban Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist List of political parties in the Philippines, political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party al ...
before the start of the 17th Congress. Pacquiao is treated as an UNA candidate in this table, except in the "After" column" where he is included in PDP–Laban's totals.


Election for the Senate President

On July 25, the day of convening of the 17th Congress, Tito Sotto and Juan Miguel Zubiri nominated Koko Pimentel for the Senate presidency, while Francis Escudero and Antonio Trillanes nominated Ralph Recto. Pimentel won by a vote of 20-3 with the backing of the largest party in the chamber, the Liberal Party, which included Recto as part of the tradition of opposing candidates voting for one other. Alan Peter Cayetano, who has expressed interest in leading the Senate, was absent during the session. Recto automatically became the Minority Leader after losing to Pimentel. Franklin Drilon was elected Senate President pro tempore while Sotto was elected Majority Leader.


References

{{Philippine elections , state=collapsed
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...