MANILA – After suffering successive defeats in the 2016, 2019, and 2022 elections, the once-dominant Liberal Party and its allied groups appear to be making a strong political comeback in the 2025 midterm elections.
Based on partial and unofficial results, former Senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan—both key figures in the Liberal Party—are performing well in the senatorial race. Aquino currently holds the second spot, while Pangilinan is in fifth place, signaling a renewed support base for the traditional opposition.
In the party-list race, Akbayan Partylist is leading and is projected to secure three congressional seats. Meanwhile, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist is poised to win at least one seat. Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno and former Senator Leila de Lima serve as the first nominees of Akbayan and ML, respectively.
Senator Risa Hontiveros lauded the performance of her allies, calling it not only a political comeback but a strengthening of the opposition’s voice in the next Congress.
Surprise strong performances have also emerged in the Senate race, notably from former Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Heidi Mendoza. Though not in the winning circle, Mendoza currently sits at 21st place with over 8.6 million votes—outranking high-profile names such as TV host Willie Revillame, former Senator Gringo Honasan, and detained televangelist Apollo Quiboloy.
According to political analysts, the resurgence of the so-called “yellow-pink” bloc may be attributed to high voter turnout among the youth and the growing rift within the former UniTeam coalition of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte. The perceived cracks in the administration’s unity may have created an opportunity for the opposition to reestablish itself in national politics.