Manila, Philippines — While the nation has already concluded the 2025 midterm elections, the race for leadership positions in both chambers of Congress is just heating up.
A potential clash for the Senate Presidency is shaping up between incumbent Senate President Chiz Escudero and returning Senator and former Senate President Tito Sotto.
In a recent interview, Senator-elect Ping Lacson revealed that the majority of the incoming Senate members favor a leadership change once the 20th Congress opens, calling for an upper chamber that is “independent, credible, and transparent.”
“Whoever is supported [for the leadership], we need to be independent, we need to be transparent, and we need to be competent,” Lacson said.
Lacson is a known ally of Sotto, while both Escudero and Sotto belong to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), adding another layer of intrigue to the brewing rivalry.
Meanwhile, over at the House of Representatives, the leadership battle appears to be a done deal. Incumbent House Speaker Martin Romualdez is poised to retain his position with overwhelming support from his colleagues.
According to Quezon Province 2nd District Representative David Suarez, as of Saturday afternoon, more than 240 members of the House have already signed a manifesto expressing their support for Romualdez’s re-election as Speaker—a number that could still grow.
“As of Saturday afternoon, no less than 240 members have already signed the manifesto of support, and that number keeps climbing,” Suarez confirmed.
Romualdez, a first cousin of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., has held the speakership since 2019 and is seen as a powerful figure in the current administration.