MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang stated on Monday, September 28, that it holds no information regarding an alleged plan to pair former Vice President and current Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo with former Senator Manny Pacquiao for the 2028 presidential race.
The speculative ticket was brought up by political strategist Lito Banayo, who alleged that a contact within the Palace informed him that Robredo and Pacquiao were under consideration as a potential tandem for the upcoming national elections.
Clarifying the administration’s stance, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said no such details had been passed to her office, emphasizing that Banayo holds no role in the Marcos administration.
“Wala po kasing ibinibigay sa akin na anumang detalye patungkol sa tandem-tandem na iyon,” Castro noted during a press briefing.
Castro emphasized that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is currently directing his attention toward pressing national governance matters rather than early political maneuvering for 2028. She pointed to preparations for the forecasted Super El Niño and the ongoing geopolitical crisis in the Middle East as primary operational priorities.
“Sa ngayon po ay hindi politika o pamumulitika ang iniisip ng administrasyon,” she stated.
“So, trabaho lang po muna tayo, huwag puro eleksyon, eleksyon — aksiyon, aksiyon muna,” she added.
Banayo, a veteran strategist who worked under the Duterte administration and managed the 2022 presidential campaign of former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, maintains no official position in the current executive branch.
The political chatter emerges during a period of visibly increased cooperation between Marcos and Robredo, who previously competed against each other in the 2016 vice-presidential and 2022 presidential contests.
In February, Marcos visited Naga City to join Robredo in assessing the local Oplan Kontra Baha flood control efforts. The President also endorsed the restoration of the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum, backed by a ₱500-million Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) from the national government. During the visit, Marcos asserted that state aid to Naga was driven purely by civic necessity, reiterating the governance benchmark of “serbisyo muna bago politika.”
Palace representatives previously cited Robredo’s handling of the ₱500-million allocation while defending the broader Local Government Support Fund, with Castro highlighting Robredo’s public transparency regarding the allocation’s designated scope.
Concurrently, Marcos recently designated Pacquiao as secretary and lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), a Cabinet-level post charged with directing social reform initiatives. The former world boxing icon assumed the post upon returning to government service.
Despite ongoing political chatter, Malacañang has announced no formal political slate or alliances, with Castro’s statements confirming that the administration has not given credence to the alleged joint run.