Former Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabby Claudio suggested that former Vice President Leni Robredo could emerge as a highly courted candidate in the upcoming presidential election, attracting interest from both administration and traditional opposition factions.
Claudio, who served under the administration of the late President Fidel Ramos, noted that political discussions surrounding the current Naga City mayor will likely center on two primary questions: whether she can be persuaded to run for the presidency again, and who would serve as her running mate.
“Sa ngayon sa nakikita ko talaga si Mayor Leni pa rin at siya ang hinahabol ng administration. Many of her colleagues in the yellow and pink forces, dalawa ang pag-uusapan siguro diyan. No. 1, papano kumbinsihin, pangalawa sino ang puwedeng ka-tandem ni Leni,” Claudio said during an interview on Bilyonaryo News.
Robredo served as vice president from 2016 to 2022 before running for the top post in 2022, where she placed second to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. She subsequently returned to local governance, winning the mayoral seat in Naga City during the 2025 midterm elections.
Should Robredo pursue the presidency once more, Claudio explained that her coalition or an administration-aligned alliance would likely target a vice-presidential candidate from the southern Philippines to balance the ticket geographically.
“She would have or the administration would have to get somebody from the south, Visayas, Mindanao. Yung mga Tulfo, actually may have roots from Visayas,” Claudio noted.
He identified Senators Raffy and Erwin Tulfo as figures who align with that regional strategy, though he refrained from pointing to a specific member of the family as her definitive running mate.
The political commentary follows recent visits to Naga City by high-profile national officials, which have sparked speculation regarding potential alliances ahead of the next presidential race.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon and Senator Erwin Tulfo have both met with Robredo separately, though their official statements framed the visits around government infrastructure and local development projects.
Despite the growing speculation, early pre-election preference polls show both Robredo and Raffy Tulfo trailing current Vice President Sara Duterte, who remains the leading contender among prospective candidates.