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2025 Philippine House of Representatives elections
27th Philippine House of Representatives elections From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2025 Philippine House of Representatives elections were the 37th lower house elections in the Philippines, and 27th as House of Representatives. It was held on May 12, 2025, within the 2025 Philippine general election. All 317 seats in the House of Representatives were contested in this election, including one seat for each of the 254 congressional districts in the country and 63 seats representing party-lists apportioned on a nationwide vote.
Lakas–CMD remained the most dominant party in the House of Representatives, with its candidates securing 103 seats for the 20th Congress, adding they would continue to support the presidential administration of Marcos.[1] Akbayan topped the party-list vote with 2.7 million votes, and won the maximum three seats allowable under the law.[2]
Martin Romualdez of Lakas defended the speakership, facing no opponents, and being elected overwhelmingly.
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Background
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In the 2022 election, parties aligned with the UniTeam alliance and eventual president Bongbong Marcos secured a supermajority of seats in the House of Representatives of the Philippines.[3] Political observers noted that among those elected to the chamber, most came from "wealthy and influential families", which was associated with the vote-buying incidents observed in the election.[4]
Upon the opening of the 19th Congress of the Philippines, Representative Martin Romualdez of Leyte's 1st district, a cousin of President Marcos, was elected as the speaker of the House of Representatives unopposed.[5][6] Media outlets have noted that a number of positions in the house leadership were assigned to representatives related to the Marcos family, including senior deputy majority leader Sandro Marcos, the son of President Marcos, and chair of the accounts committee Yedda Marie Romualdez, the wife of Speaker Romualdez.[7][8]
The 19th Congress saw considerable political realignment, with House representatives abandoning the former ruling party PDP–Laban for Lakas–CMD of Romualdez and Partido Federal ng Pilipinas of Marcos.[9]
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Electoral system
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The Philippines uses parallel voting for its lower house elections. For this election, there are 317 seats in the House of Representatives; 254 of these are district representatives, and 63 are party-list representatives.[10]
The 1987 constitution mandates that there should be one party-list representative for every four district representatives. District representatives are elected under the first-past-the-post system from single-member districts. Congress has the power of creating congressional districts.[11] The constitution originally had 200 districts, but had increased in number since then to the current 254 that will be disputed in this election.
Party-list representatives are elected via the nationwide vote with a 2% election threshold, with a party winning not more than three seats.[12] The party with the most votes usually wins three seats, then the other parties with more than 2% of the vote two seats. At this point, if all of the party-list seats are not filled up, the parties with less than 2% of the vote will win one seat each until all party-list seats are filled up.[13] The electoral system, with the 2% threshold and the three-seat cap, encourage vote splitting; and encourage sectors to up separate party-lists for every sector so as not to waste their vote on just one party.[14]
Political parties competing in the party-list election are barred from participating district elections, and vice versa, unless permitted by the Commission on Elections. Party-lists and political parties participating in the district elections may forge coalition deals with one another.
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Redistricting
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In the Philippines, Congress has the power to create new congressional districts. Congress can either redistrict the entire country within three years after each Philippine census, or create new districts from existing ones piecemeal, although Congress has never redistricted the entire country wholesale since the approval of the 1987 constitution. Congress usually creates a new district once a place reaches the minimum 250,000 population mandated by the constitution.[11]
New districts can also be created by creating new provinces and cities; in this case, it also must be approved by the people in a plebiscite in the affected places.
Changes from the previous Congress
These are the districts, not contested in 2022, created by the 18th Congress that were either signed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte or had lapsed into law:
- Division of Maguindanao to Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur
- Maguindanao's 1st congressional district and Talitay (formerly Sultan Sumagka, part of the 2nd district) becomes the at-large district of the newly-created province of Maguindanao del Norte.[15]
- The rest of the municipalities included in Maguindanao's 2nd congressional district becomes the at-large district of the newly-created province of Maguindanao del Sur.[15]
- Enacted as Republic Act No. 11550[16]
- Approved in a plebiscite on September 17, 2022[17]
- Reapportionment of Agusan del Norte's 1st and 2nd districts
- Agusan del Norte's 2nd district and Las Nieves (part of the 1st district) becomes Agusan del Norte's at-large district.
- Butuan (part of the 1st district) becomes its own at-large district
- Enacted as Republic Act No. 11714.[18]
- Division of South Cotabato's 2nd district to 2 districts
- Koronadal and its bordering municipalities shall remain as South Cotabato's 2nd district, while the westernmost municipalities shall become the third district.
- General Santos, the old 3rd district, becomes its own at-large district
- Enacted as Republic Act No. 11804.[19]
Changes from the outgoing Congress
- No redistricting laws were passed by the 19th Congress.
Other changes made
A Supreme Court decision regarding the Makati–Taguig boundary dispute, and the creation of new municipalities from the Special Geographic Area of the Bangsamoro caused changes in congressional apportionment.
- Reapportionment of Taguig/Pateros's 1st and 2nd districts, and Makati's 2nd district
- The three barangays remaining in Makati's jurisdiction after the Supreme Court awarded Taguig the 10 EMBO barangays after winning the Fort Bonifacio boundary dispute shall be retained as Makati's 2nd district.[20]
- The EMBO barangays now under the jurisdiction of Taguig were originally not allocated to any congressional district by the COMELEC.[21]
- The COMELEC later adopted a resolution by the Taguig City Council reapportioning the EMBO barangays to its 2 districts with Pateros, with the barangays solely bordering Pateros (Comembo, Pembo and Rizal) going to the 1st district, while the other seven barangays going to the 2nd district.[22] [23]
- Reapportionment of Cotabato's 1st and 3rd districts
- The Special Geographic Area that is still formally within Cotabato has been removed by the COMELEC from its congressional representation after the approval of incorporation of 8 new municipalities in plebiscites held in 2024. Because of this, the Bangsamoro asked Congress to create a new province out of the 8 new municipalities.[24]
Summary of changes
On June 21, 2024, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) confirmed that there will be 254 congressional districts to be contested in the election and 63 seats apportioned among the party-lists.[10]
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Participating parties
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In both chambers of Congress, members are organized into "blocs", akin to parliamentary groups elsewhere. In keeping with the traditions of the Third Philippine Republic which was under a two-party system, there are two main blocs, the majority and minority blocs; this is although the country is now in a multi-party system. Those who voted for the winning speaker are from the majority bloc, while those who did not (if there are more than two candidates for the speakership) will vote amongst themselves on who will be the minority bloc. Those who belong to neither bloc shall be the independent minority bloc. Members can also be from the independent bloc. Each bloc can have members from multiple parties. Only the majority and minority blocs have voting privileges in committees.
In the 19th Congress, the majority bloc is aligned with the administration of President Marcos.[3]
In congressional districts
Complete list
These parties put up candidates at least in one congressional district.
In party lists
Complete list
These are the party-lists that were approved by the COMELEC to appear on the ballot, ordered by ballot number.[25]
- 4Ps
- PPP
- FPJ Panday Bayanihan
- Kabataan[c]
- Duterte Youth
- ML[d]
- PBBM
- P3PWD
- Murang Kuryente
- Bicol Saro
- Ipatupad
- PATROL
- Juan PINOY
- ARTE
- WIFI
- MAAGAP
- United Senior Citizens
- Epanaw Sambayanan
- Ako Padayon
- TUCP
- ACT Teachers[c]
- 1PACMAN
- TGP
- DUMPER PTDA
- Anakalusugan
- Aksyon Dapat[e]
- BHW
- Sulong Dignidad
- Batang Quiapo
- PBA
- GILAS
- Ako Ilokano Ako
- Pamilyang Magsasaka
- Click Party
- Abante Bisdak
- Manila Teachers
- PAMANA
- Nanay
- KM Ngayon Na
- Babae Ako
- ARISE
- Magdalo
- APEC
- MAGBUBUKID
- SSS-GSIS Pensyonado
- GABRIELA[c]
- Tingog
- APAT-DAPAT
- Ahon Mahirap
- UGB
- Akbayan
- Agimat
- PHILRECA
- Kapuso PM
- Ilocano Defenders
- 1-Rider Party-list
- TICTOK
- (skipped[f])
- Bayan Muna[c]
- Ang Probinsyano
- BANAT
- SBP
- Buhay
- Tulungan Tayo
- SAGIP
- BTS Bayaning Tsuper
- Vendors
- ACT-CIS
- Aktibong Kaagapay
- Asenso Pinoy
- Solo Parents
- Ang Komadrona
- PROMDI
- Pusong Pinoy
- Kusug Tausug
- Damayang Filipino
- MPBL
- ANGAT
- Kalinga
- Boses Party-list
- Arangkada Pilipino
- Aangat Tayo
- OFW
- BIDA KATAGUMPAY
- KAMANGGAGAWA
- BFF
- Bunyog
- AGRI
- Senior Citizens
- 4K
- PBP
- One Coop
- CIBAC
- BH - Bagong Henerasyon
- 1AGILA
- EDUAKSYON
- Ang Tinig ng Seniors
- BG Party-list
- Pinoy Ako
- H.E.L.P. PILIPINAS
- Health Workers
- People's Champ
- AA-Kasosyo Party
- Solid North Party
- ABAMIN
- TRABAHO
- ANGKASangga
- TODA Aksyon
- Turismo
- Abono
- ASAP NA
- LINGAP
- United Frontliners
- Kasambahay
- Tutok To WIn
- Ako OFW
- AGAP
- 1TAHANAN
- Coop-NATCCO
- KABAYAN
- 1Munti
- PINOY WORKERS
- API Party
- Ako Bisaya
- KAMALAYAN
- Ako Tanod
- Probinsyano Ako
- KABABAIHAN
- RAM
- ALONA
- Ako Bikol
- GP (Galing sa Puso)
- KAUNLAD PINOY
- ABP
- CWS
- LPGMA
- A TEACHER
- SWERTE
- Gabay
- Malasakit@Bayanihan
- Akay ni Sol[g]
- LUNAS
- DIWA
- PINUNO
- Pamilya Muna
- Bagong Pilipinas
- Hugpong Federal
- Tupad
- Lang Kawal
- Pamilya Ko
- BBM
- Heal PH
- Abang Lingkod
- MAGSASAKA
- Maharlika
- Uswag Ilonggo
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Retiring and term-limited incumbents
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Each representative is limited to three full consecutive terms in office, with voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity of his service for the full term for which he was elected.
Term-limited
A total of 51 representatives have been elected three consecutive times in regular elections and are barred from seeking another congressional term in 2025.
Retiring members
The following members of Congress are eligible for another term, but have chosen to retire or seek other positions.
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Candidates
On January 14, 2025, the Supreme Court ordered the COMELEC to add several aspirants on the ballot after disqualifying them. This includes congressional candidate Edgar Erice in Caloocan's 2nd district, and Charles Savellano in Ilocos Sur's 1st district.[117] The commission announced that they will comply with the court's order, and ordered the reprinting of ballots that did not have the names of the petitioners.[118]
For the first time in Philippine history, the COMELEC second division on May 7, 2025 disqualified a candidate, Ian Sia, who is running to represent Pasig's at-large district for making discriminatory remarks during campaigning.[119] Sia appealed the case, saying his admitted violation of the Safe Spaces Act is not an election offense and should not be grounds for his disqualification.[120] The COMELEC also suspended the proclamation as winners on candidates who have pending disqualification cases, including Marcelino Teodoro, who defeated Senator Koko Pimentel in Marikina.[121][122]
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Marginal seats
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Elections in congressional districts
These are the marginal seats that had a winning margin of 5% or less in the 2022 elections, in ascending order via margin:
Party-list election
The following party-lists won less than 2% of the vote in 2022, and only won one seat each because all of party-list seats have not been filled up by the parties that did win at least 2% of the vote. These are sorted by number of votes in descending order.
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Campaign
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On February 5, the final session day before Congress goes on recess for campaigning, the House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte.[124] The Senate then received the articles of impeachment later in the day, an hour or so before the Senate went on recess.[125] Sara Duterte then endorsed the candidates that are going up against those who signed the impeachment complaint against her. On February, Duterte endorsed Team Deretso of the Radaza family in Lapu-Lapu City against Cynthia Chan's ticket; Chan voted for impeachment, but she is switching places with her husband Junard, the incumbent mayor.[126] On April, Duterte visited the Duranos in Danao, Cebu, but did not endorse anyone.[127] A few days later, Duterte did endorse the Duranos, including Danao city mayor Mix, who is the opponent of impeachment signer Duke Frasco.[128]
In Manila's 3rd district, Duterte endorsed Apple Nieto, the opponent of Joel Chua, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability that led the investigations on Duterte's alleged misuse of her confidential funds that led to her impeachment.[129] In the sixth district, Duterte campaigned against Benny Abante, endorsing his opponent Joey Uy.[130] In the 2nd district, Duterte campaigned against Rolando Valeriano; Valeriano was the congressman who delivered a speech that led to the investigation onto the alleged confidential funds misuse.[131]
Duterte also endorsed Dan Lim's slate in Bohol, including congressional candidates Modesto Membreve and McAldous Castañares, opponents of Vanvan Aumentado and Alexie Tutor, respectively. Duterte remarked "I don't let politicians become godparents to my children. You never know when one of them might stab you in the back." One of Aumentado's children has Duterte as a grandmother.[132] In Zamboanga City, Duterte endorsed the Team Zamboanga slate of the Olasos, including the congressional candidacies of Kaiser Adan Olaso and Jerry Perez. In Basilan, Duterte endorsed the Basilan Unity Party slate, including the congressional candidacy of Hanie Bud.[133] In Batangas, Romualdez backed Gerville Luistro against Raneo Abu, who is being backed by Duterte.[134]
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Results
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Elections on congressional districts
After the election, Lakas–CMD emerged as the largest party in the House of Representatives, securing 104 seats. Speaker Martin Romualdez said that it "is a vote of confidence not just in our candidates, but in the kind of leadership and unity that Lakas-CMD represents." If Romualdez's pronouncments hold, Lakas' seats actually decreased from prior the election, as they had 109 seats by then.[1] Jude Acidre later said that 100 of the 115 members who had voted to impeach Sara Duterte successfully defended their seats.[135] Several figures in the impeachment, such as Rolando Valeriano and Joel Chua of Manila, as well as Gerville Luistro of Batangas successfully won their seats despite Duterte's endorsement of their opponents. However, other figures also lost, such as Mannix Dalipe of Zamboanga City. In addition, Danilo Fernandez was also defeated in the Laguna gubernatorial election.[136]
On June 18, 2025, the COMELEC second division ruled that the certificate of candidacy of Joey Uy, who was vying for the seat of Manila's 6th district, was void ab initio, and declared incumbent Benny Abante as the duly elected representative for the district.[137] Uy's motion for reconsideration was then dismissed by the COMELEC en banc on June 30, affirming Abante's victory, and ordering the latter's proclamation as the rightful winner.[138] Uy filed a case in the Supreme Court when the House of Representatives disallowed his inclusion in its roster of members, citing the COMELEC decision.[139] Abante was proclaimed the winner on July 8.[140]
On June 25, 2025, the COMELEC en banc affirmed Marcelino Teodoro's victory over Koko Pimentel for the seat of Marikina's 1st district. The COMELEC then lifted its suspension of Teodoro's proclamation as the rightful winner. Pimentel said he will appeal to the Supreme Court.[141] Teodoro was then proclaimed as the winner, and took his oath of office on July 1.[142]
Results per region
Results per district
Party-list election
The COMELEC was expected declare winners at least a week after the election.[144] The COMELEC, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, first convened on May 13, a day after the election, to canvass the local absentee voting results.[145] The commission canvassed 159 certificates of canvass by Wednesday after the election, on what was said to be record speed, leaving just 16 certificates.[146] Initial calculations had Akbayan, Duterte Youth, Tingog Party List and 4Ps Partylist as winning the maximum three seats, ACT-CIS Partylist and Ako Bikol poised to win two seats, while 47 other parties are set to win 1 seat each.[147]
After the COMELEC finished canvassing the votes on May 16, Akbayan emerged as the party with the most votes in the party-list election, and is poised to win three seats.[148]
Philreca Party-List, the first party that may not win a seat, petitioned COMELEC, pleading that there should be 64 seats contested for party-list representatives, as opposed to 63 as originally announced. The COMELEC then asked all relevant parties for opinions in regard to this, and to the seat distribution.[149]
On May 19, the COMELEC proclaimed 52 party-lists, for 59 of the 63 seats, with Akbayan indeed winning three seats, 4Ps just winning two seats, Philreca being the last party-list to win a seat.[150] They postponed the proclamation of Duterte Youth and Bagong Henerasyon due to pending disqualification cases. Duterte Youth's disqualification case was initiated in 2019 and is still unresolved up to now. Based on the results, Duterte Youth is entitled to three seats, while Bagong Henerasyon is entitled to one.[151]
The commission proclaimed Bagong Henerasyon with one seat on June 5 after dismissing the disqualification case against it.[152] On June 18, the commission’s second division cancelled the registration of the Duterte Youth by a vote of 2–1. This decision granted the petition filed by youth leaders in 2019, on the grounds that the commission en banc had approved the party-list’s registration that year without publishing its petition and without conducting a proper hearing on the application.[153]
- Proclamation as winning party-list postponed due to ongoing disqualification case.[154]
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Defeated incumbents
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Elections in districtsThese include incumbents who ran and lost while running within a congressional district.
The following were incumbent party-list representatives, but ran in congressional districts and lost:
|
Party-list electionThese include incumbents who have not been elected in the party-list election, either because their party lost all seats, or lost enough seats, including the incumbent's own.[147]
In addition, Yedda Romualdez (Tingog) was its #6 nominee, and would not have won a seat unless third to the fifth nominees declined. The nominees did renounce the nominations, paving the way for Romualdez's affirmation of her election.[172] |
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Speakership election
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Allies of outgoing speaker Martin Romualdez are thought to back him to be reelected, and are also thought to have the numbers to keep him on that position. Toby Tiangco, the campaign manager of Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial ticket, said that the House's last-minute impeachment of Sara Duterte hurt the chances of the administration ticket from winning more seats in the Senate election.[136] He also floated his name as a potential candidate for House speaker. When asked about this, he said "I will do whatever is best for the President. If its best for the President that Martin Romualdez remains Speaker, I will support what he thinks is best for him."[173] Jude Acidre, a close Romualdez ally, belied Tiangco's pronouncements, saying 100 out 115 lawmakers who voted for impeachment defended their seats. including 36 out of 44 pro-impeachment lawmakers in Mindanao. After a meeting on May 16, David Suarez, with around 240 congressmen have signed the manifesto supporting Romualdez, he said that "It's over. The Speaker has the numbers.[136]
In a separate TV interview, Tiangco revealed that Sandro Marcos, the president's son, got caught up in voting for Duterte's impeachment. Tiangco declined to share details, as he said that Marcos did not initiate what happened and to just leave him out of it. Marcos, when earlier interviewed on February, did not sound coerced when asked on why he was the first person to sign off on the impeachment.[174]
Meanwhile, Sara Duterte said she had asked her brother Paolo to run for speaker; if he loses, he can be minority floor leader instead. The vice president said she was not approached by anyone to be her candidate for speaker or for the Senate presidency.[175] Other possible candidates include Albee Benitez, who first lady Liza Araneta Marcos is reportedly in favor of, and Angelo Marcos Barba. There were even reports of Sandro Marcos replacing Romualdez on its lame duck session, but ranking congressional leaders denied efforts to remove Romualdez from office.[176] On May 26, Suarez said they have already secured formal declarations supporting Romualdez from 278 representatives, with a total of 285 expressing support.[177]
On early June, Duke Frasco was expelled from the National Unity Party for refusing to support Romualdez for the speakership.[178] Frasco then joined President Bongbong Marcos on his working visit to Japan to attend Expo 2025. This led to rumours that he is candidate for speaker.[179] By late June, Frasco denied he was targetting the speakership, saying that he'd rather vote either for Tiangco or Benitez.[180]
On the convening of the 20th Congress in late July, Romualdez was reelected speaker, with 269 voting for him, and 34 abstentions. Suarez nominated Romualdez, who was seconded by Sandro Marcos. Benitez, Frasco and Tiangco all abstained from voting. The three Duterte congressmen walked out during the election without voting.[181] Benitez said that he, Frasco and Tiangco were planning to form an independent bloc in the House, outside the majority and minority blocs.[182] Marcelino Libanan was then unanimously elected by the minority as their floor leader.[183]
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Notes
- Running in coalition with the Nationalist People's Coalition
- Running in coalition with the National Unity Party
- Sectoral wing of Makabayan
- Sectoral wing of the Liberal Party
- Sectoral wing of Aksyon Demokratiko
- Wage Hike withdrew on December 12, 2024 and its ballot number 58 was skipped.[26]
- Sectoral wing of Akay National Political Party
- Prevented from assuming seat on June 29, 2022 through a temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court.
- Abante's opponent, Joey Uy, was disqualified after his proclamation as the winner, all of Uy's votes were classified as stray, and Abante was proclaimed instead
References
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