‘Gobyernong tapat’: Marcos to work with new senators regardless of political colors

MANILA, Philippines — Following his senatorial slate’s sizeable loss in the 2025 midterm elections, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is willing to work with all elected officials, regardless of political affiliation.

Marcos’ slate dominated pre-election surveys in the lead-up to the May 12 vote, but later fell short on election day. Unofficial tallies suggest that candidates with differing political allegiances blocked a sweep by the administration.

Several picks of Marcos' rival, Vice President Sara Duterte,—including Sen. Bong Go, Sen. Bato dela Rosa, presidential sister Sen. Imee Marcos, Rep. Rodante Marcoleta and Rep. Camille Villar—are poised to enter the “Magic 12,” rehashing the composition of the 24-senator upper chamber.

Some of Marcos’ own bets—Sen. Lito Lapid, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Rep. Erwin Tulfo, former senators Ping Lacson and Tito Sotto—also made the cut. Villar, notably, appeared on both Marcos’ and Duterte’s slates. Still, the administration failed to secure the commanding Senate majority it had anticipated.

In a surprise turnout, former senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, aligned with neither Duterte nor Marcos, pulled stronger-than-expected poll performances. Despite barely cracking the winning circle ahead of the vote, Aquino placed second and Pangilinan fifth, both set for Senate comebacks.

Twists. Many expect Aquino and Pangilinan to join Sen. Risa Hontiveros in the Senate’s minority bloc. If not for new colleagues reentering the chamber, Hontiveros would be the lone opposition lawmaker after Sen. Koko Pimentel’s term ends.

Marcos appeared to accept the setback, stating that while not all his candidates won seats in the 20th Congress, the administration’s work continues.

“We may not have won every seat, but our work and mission continue. To those who did not make it, your courage to stand for public service is deeply respected. Public service goes beyond elections. The work of nation-building needs all who are ready to serve,” Marcos said in his first statement after the elections.

Echoes. The president said democracy had taken its course.

“Governance is a shared responsibility, a mission that requires unity and burden sharing for the common good. To the newly elected, regardless of party or coalition, I extend my hand. Let us move forward together-with open minds and a common purpose,” Marcos said.

He ended his message with, “Sa gobyernong tapat, kasama ang lahat (In an honest government, all are included)."

The quote echoes the campaign slogan of his former rival, Leni Robredo, who said, “Sa gobyernong tapat, angat buhay lahat (In an honest government, all lives are uplifted).”

Whether the parallel was intentional is unclear. Robredo, who ran with Pangilinan as her vice president in 2022, lost the presidency but won as Naga City mayor in 2025, while Pangilinan secured a Senate seat.

Where Robredo and Pangilinan remain aligned, Marcos has since fallen out with his 2022 running mate, Duterte.

The rankings so far

The Top 12 standings in the senatorial poll since the Monday, May 12 midterm elections remained unchanged since the first few hours of Commission on Elections' transmission of partial, unofficial votes to several media-run servers.

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