Personal Information

Birthdate: August 24, 1948   

Age on election day: 76 years old
Birthplace: Manila  

Residence: Barangay White Plains, Quezon City

Civil status: Married  

Spouse: Helen Gamboa-Sotto  

• Actress

Profession/occupation (as stated in COC): businessman and TV host

Other info:

Father: Marcelino Ojeda Sotto
Mother: Herminia Castelo Sotto, M.D.

Siblings:

• Valmar “Val” Sotto, brother
  • Actor
  • Councilor, 2nd District, Parañaque City (2004-2007, 2007-2010, 2010-2013)
• Marvic “Vic” Sotto, brother
  • Movie and TV actor
  • TV host
  • Co-host, “Eat Bulaga” 
• Marcelino Antonio "Maru" Sotto Jr., brother

Children:  

• Romina Frances Sotto, daughter
• Diorella Maria ”Lala” Sotto-Antonio, daughter
  • Chairperson, MTRCB (sworn into office on July 7, 2022)
  • Councilor, 6th District, Quezon City (2013-2016, 2016-2019, 2019-2022)
  • Councilor, 3rd District, Quezon City (2001-2004, 2004-2007, 2007-2010)
• Gian Carlo Jose “Gian” Sotto, son
  • Incumbent vice mayor, Quezon City (2019-2022, 2022-2025); seeks a third term in 2025 
  • Councilor, 3rd District, Quezon City (2010-2013, 2013-2016, 2016-2019)
• Ciara Anna “Ciara” Sotto, daughter
  • Actress

Other prominent relatives:

• Vicente Yap Sotto, grandfather
  • Senator (1946-1953)
  • Representative, 2nd District, Cebu, 6th Philippine Legislature (1922-1925)
  • won as mayor of Cebu in 1907
  • won as councilor of Cebu in 1902
• Filemon Sotto, granduncle 
  • Delegate, Constitutional Convention (1934)
  • Senator (1916-1922) 
  • Representative, 3rd District, Cebu, Philippine Assembly (1907-1916)
  • Assistant fiscal of Cebu
  • Provincial fiscal of Negros Occidental
  • founded the newspapers El Imperial, Ang Kaluwasan, La Opinion, and La Revolucion
• Victor Ma. Regis “Vico” Sotto, nephew 
  • Incumbent mayor, Pasig City (2019-2022, 2022-2025); seeks a third term in 2025
  • Councilor, 1st District, Pasig City (2016-2019)
  • Son of Vic 
• Viktor Eriko “Wahoo” Sotto, nephew 
  • Councilor, 2nd District, Parañaque City (2013-2016, 2016-2019, 2019-2022); seeks his old post in 2025 
  • Son of Val
• Victorio Manuel “Vito” Sotto Generoso, grandson
  • Councilor, 6th District, Quezon City; seeks a second term in 2025
  • Son of Tito’s eldest daughter, Romina (“Apples”)
• Danica Sotto-Pingris, niece
  • Actress
  • Daughter of Vic
• Oyo Boy Sotto, nephew
  • Actor
  • Son of Vic
• Pauleen Luna-Sotto, sister-in-law
  • Actress/TV host
  • Wife of Vic

Education

• Elementary: Colegio de San Juan de Letran
• Secondary: Colegio de San Juan de Letran
• College: A.B. English, Colegio de San Juan de Letran

Career

Government

• Senator (1992-1998, 1998-2004, 2010-2016, 2016-2022)
• Senate President (2018-2022)
• Chairman, Dangerous Drugs Board (July 2008-November 2009)
• Vice mayor, Quezon City/concurrent chairman, Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (1988-1992)

TV personality

Membership in Civic/Professional Organizations

• President emeritus/founder/1st elected president, Vice-Mayors' League of the Philippines 
• Member, International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association 
• Member, International Association of Chiefs of Police 
• Vice chairman, Citizens' Drugwatch Foundation
• Vice president, Vicor Music Corporation
• Board member, Araullo University, Nueva Ecija
• President, Ham Radio Philippines

Candidacy in the 2025 Philippine elections

Position sought: Senator

Party: Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)

Period of residence in the Philippines up to the day before May 12, 2025: 76 years 8 months

Registered voter of: Barangay White Plains, Quezon City


Election history

ELECTION YEAR	POSITION SOUGHT	PARTY	OUTCOME
1988	Vice Mayor, Quezon City		won
1992	Senator	LDP	won: ranked 1st with 11,792,121 votes
1998	Senator	LDP-LABAN	won
2007	Senator	NPC	lost: ranked 19th with 7,638,361 votes
2010	Senator	NPC	won: ranked 9th with 11,891,711 votes
2016	Senator	NPC	won: ranked 3rd with 17,200,371 votes
2022	Vice President	NPC	lost: ranked 3rd with 8,251,267 votes

Ikaw Na Ba? The Senatorial Interviews





Sources:

Personal Information
Sources: COC, Senate, House of Representatives, Profile of Filemon Sotto, Profile of Vicente Yap Sotto, vicentesotto.com, MTRCB, GMA Network, news reports

Education
Source: Senate

Career
Sources: Senate, vicentesotto.com

Candidacy in the 2025 Philippine elections
Source: COC

Election history
Sources: Comelec, NBOC Resolution, Quezon City Government