2022 Philippine Senate election

The 2022 Philippine Senate election will be the 34th election of members to the Senate of the Philippines for a six-year term. It is scheduled to be held on May 9, 2022.

The seats of 12 senators elected in 2016 were contested during this election, and the senators that were elected in this election will serve up to June 30, 2028. The winners in this election will join the winners of the 2019 election to form the 19th Congress of the Philippines. The senators elected in 2019 will serve until June 30, 2025.

As the Senate election is held on the day when the presidency is also on the ballot, most presidential candidates may present slates of candidates for senator.

Background

Main article: 18th Congress of the Philippines

Party		Not up	Up	Total
	PDP–Laban	4	1	5
	Nacionalista	3	1	4
	Liberal	0	3	3
	NPC	1	2	3
	Akbayan	0	1	1
	CIBAC	0	1	1
	Lakas	1	0	1
	LDP	1	0	1
	UNA	1	0	1
	Independent	1	3	4
Total		12	12	24

Electoral system

The Philippines has a 24-member Senate elected nationally. Every three years since 1995, 12 seats are disputed, for 2022, the seats first disputed in 1998 will be contested. Each voter has 12 votes, of which one can vote one to twelve candidates, or a multiple non-transferable vote; the twelve candidates with the most votes are elected.

Senators are term limited to two consecutive terms, although they are eligible for a third (and succeeding) non-consecutive term.[1] Only half of the seats are up in every senatorial election. The winning senators will succeed those elected in 2016, and will join those elected in 2019 in the 19th Congress.

Each party endorses a slate of candidates, typically not exceeding a 12-person ticket.[2] A party may also choose to invite "guest candidates" to complete its slate. The party may even include, with the candidates' consent, independent candidates and candidates from other parties as the party's guest candidates. Parties also may form coalitions to endorse a multi-party slate of candidates.

Winning candidates are proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers. Candidates are proclaimed senators-elect if the thirteenth-place candidate no longer has a mathematical chance of surpassing the twelfth-place candidate. Post-proclamation disputes are handled by the Senate Electoral Tribunal, a body composed of six senators and three justices from the Supreme Court.

Term-limited and retiring incumbents

The following are barred from running since they are on their second consecutive six-year term:[3]

• Franklin Drilon (Liberal)

  Drilon personally counted himself out in running for president in 2022.[4]

• Ralph Recto (Nacionalista)
• Tito Sotto (NPC)

  Sotto said that retirement would be his first option in 2022, as opposed to running for a higher position.[5]

Coalitions

Liberal Party

The Liberal Party and its coalition Otso Diretso will continue to contest in elections in 2022.[6]

Candidates

Announced candidacies

No one has announced running.

Potential candidacies

Various personalities have directly and indirectly hinted on the possibility of running for senator in 2022. In other cases, sources have hinted on the possibility of certain candidates to run for senator in 2022. Among these personalities include:

Incumbents not term-limited

The following are expected to defend their seats, but are free to seek other positions in 2022:[3]

• Leila de Lima (Liberal)
• Win Gatchalian (NPC)
• Richard J. Gordon (Independent)

  In 2017, President Duterte referred to Gordon as the country's next president.[7]

• Risa Hontiveros (Akbayan)
• Panfilo Lacson (Independent)

  Lacson said he would run for president if he has "a clear chance of winning."[8]

• Manny Pacquiao (PDP–Laban)

  Boxing promoter Bob Arum said in June 2020 that Pacquiao told him that he'd run for president instead of defending his Senate seat in 2022.[9] A few days later, Pacquiao denied taking to Arum about politics.[10]

• Francis Pangilinan (Liberal)
• Joel Villanueva (CIBAC)
• Juan Miguel Zubiri (Independent)

Former senators

These are the former senators who publicly expressed of possibly running in 2022:

• Antonio Trillanes (Magdalo)[11]

Others

• Nora Aunor, actress[12]
• Angel Locsin, actress [13]
• Coco Martin, actor[14]

Results

		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
Before election	Senate bloc	Majority bloc																				Minority bloc
	Party													‡	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡
After election	Party													Seats up for election
	Senate bloc	19th Congress of the Philippines

Key:

• ‡ Seats up
• * Gained by a party from another party
• √ Held by the incumbent
• + Held by the same party with a new senator

Per party

 Summary of the May 9, 2022 Philippine Senate election results per party

Party		Popular vote			Breakdown						Seats
		Total	%	Swing	Entered	Up	Not up	Gains	Holds	Losses	Won	Current 18th	19th		+/−
													Start	%
	PDP–Laban (Philippine Democratic Party–People's Power)					1	4					5
	Nacionalista (Nationalist Party)					1	3					4
	Liberal (Liberal Party)					3	0					3
	NPC (Nationalist People's Coalition)					2	1					3
	Akbayan (Akbayan Citizens' Action Party)					1	0					1
	CIBAC (Citizens' Battle Against Corruption)					1	0					1
	Lakas (People Power–Christian Muslim Democrats)					0	1					1
	LDP (Struggle of Democratic Filipinos)					0	1					1
	UNA (United Nationalist Alliance)					0	1					1
	Independent					3	1					4
Total votes			N/A			12	12				12	24	24	100%
Registered voters		-	100%	%

References

1. "Term of Office and Privileges". Senate of the Philippines.
2. "Election for Senado (Philippine Senate)". Election Guide. Archived from the original on May 16, 2019.
3. "Senators up for reelection in 2022". Manila Standard. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
4. Ramos, Christia Marie (2020-07-22). "2022 presidential race? Drilon says 'count me out'". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
5. "Sotto says retirement 'first option' in 2022". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
6. "After tough loss in midterm polls, Otso Diretso has eyes set on 2022". Rappler. June 3, 2019. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
7. "The 2022 Race Is On". The Manila Times. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
8. Ager, Maila (May 2, 2019). "Lacson on possible 2022 run I'm not closing the door". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Philippine Daily Inquirer.
9. "Pacquiao planning to run for president in 2022, says Arum". GMA News Online. June 8, 2020.
10. Giongco, Mark (2020-06-10). "Pacquiao denies discussing running for president with Arum". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
11. Buan, Lian. "Opposition is solid for Robredo in 2022 – Trillanes". Rappler. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
12. Solis, Lolit. "Nora and Angel for Senator?". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
13. "Locsin for 2022? Angel says no to running, but yes to public service". news.abs-cbn.com. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
14. Serato, Arniel. "Is Coco Martin running for senator in 2022?". PEP. Retrieved 2020-06-17.