Eleksyon 2025: How Filipino celebrities fared in the polls

The 2025 midterm elections saw both former and current celebrities vying for public office. Now that the polls have closed, some of them have been proclaimed winners while others have conceded their defeats.

Here's how celebrity candidates fared in Election 2025, as of 2:47 p.m. on May 13.

Senators

In the Senate, at least 14 candidates are celebrities, with backgrounds in entertainment, sports, and broadcast media. Three of them have entered the magic 12: Erwin Tulfo, Tito Sotto, and Lito Lapid.

Tulfo brothers

Erwin Tulfo is the most successful celebrity candidate for senator, ranking fourth in the tally so far behind Bong Go, Bam Aquino, and Bato Dela Rosa. He garnered 16 million votes, three million more than the votes his brother Raffy won when he ran for the same position in 2022.

Raffy is currently the chair of the Migrant Workers Committee in the Senate. He was no. 3 in the polls three years ago, behind Robin Padilla and Loren Legarda.

Meanwhile, their other brother Ben also ran for senator this year. He placed 13th with over 11 million votes, over one million votes behind re-electonist and presidential sister Imee Marcos.

All three Tulfo brothers are media personalities with backgrounds in public service broadcasting. Erwin also served in the 19th Congress as representative of ACT-CIS Party-list.

Tito Sotto

Tito Sotto will return to the Senate after ranking eighth in the 2025 elections, garnering over 13 million votes. He previously won seats in 1992, 1998, 2010, and 2016. He also served as Senate Majority Leader and eventually as Senate President from 2018 to 2022.

Lito Lapid

Lito Lapid is poised to serve another term after placing 11th with 13 million votes. The veteran actor and action star previously held a Senate seat for two terms from 2004 to 2016. He returned to office in 2019 after a three-year break.

Others

Aside from Ben Tulfo, five other celebrity candidates did not make it to the magic 12.

Bong Revilla, who ranked 14th, ran for the Philippine Senate three times in the past: 2004, 2010, and 2019. The action star and television host was elected in all three instances.

Manny Pacquiao, who was first elected to the Senate in 2016, placed 18th. Before his attempted senate comeback, the boxing legend ran for president in 2025 but lost his bid, ranking third behind now-President Bongbong Marcos and former Vice President Leni Robredo. He also previously served as Sarangani representative, holding the post from 2010 to 2016.

Meanwhile, singer and lawyer Jimmy Bondoc placed 17th, veteran actor Philip Salvador placed 19th, and television host Willie Revillame placed 22nd.

House of Representatives

Several celebrities will be serving in the 20th Congress of the Philippines as members of the House of Representatives, continuing a long-standing trend of showbiz personalities transitioning into politics.

Arjo Atayde

Arjo Atayde is set to serve a second consecutive term as representative of Quezon City’s 1st district. The actor and husband of television host Maine Mendoza leads the race against his rival Bingbong Crisologo.

Lani Mercado

Lani Mercado-Revilla, the wife of former senator Bong Revilla, ran unopposed in Cavite's 2nd district for her second consecutive term as representative. She previously held the post for two terms from 2010 to 2016. She also served as Bacoor City mayor from 2016 to 2022 before returning to Congress.

Jolo Revilla

Her son, Jolo Revilla, was proclaimed representative of Cavite's 1st district after winning against Doc Paul Abaya.

Richard Gomez

In Leyte, re-electionist Richard Gomez topped the polls for a second term as 4th district representative. The veteran actor previously served as mayor of Ormoc City from 2016 to 2022.

Others

Ejay Falcon has already conceded defeat in his bid for representative of Oriental Mindoro’s 2nd district. The former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate and actor previously served as the province’s vice governor after winning in the 2022 elections.

Marco Gumabao also conceded defeat in his bid to represent the 4th district of Camarines Sur. The actor ran for a political position for the first time.

Local positions

In Manila, Isko Moreno is set to return as mayor after leading the votes. His closest rivals, incumbent mayor Honey Lacuna and Sam Verzosa, have already conceded defeat. Moreno’s son, actor Joaquin Domagoso, also led the vote for first district councilor.

In Pasig, former PBA player Dodot Jaworski won as vice mayor, alongside his running mate, Vico Sotto, as mayor. Veteran actress Angelu de Leon and former “Survivor” castaway Kiko Rustia are also poised to claim councilor seats.

In Quezon City, former PBA player and basketball coach Franz Pumaren led the race for representative of the third district. Veteran actors Aiko Melendez and Alfred Vargas are also poised to claim councilor seats.

In San Juan City, several former basketball players are set to serve as councilors: James Yap, Erwin Vijandre, and Don Allado.

In Laguna, former news presenter Sol Aragones was proclaimed governor. She won on her second attempt, previously running for the post in 2022.

In Batangas, Vilma Santos is currently leading the vote count for governor. The veteran actress, who is known as the Star for All Seasons, is also a seasoned politician, having served as Lipa City mayor from 1998 to 2007 and as Batangas governor from 2007 to 2016. She was also the representative of the 6th district from 2016 to 2022.

However, Santos' son, actor and television host Luis Manzano, lags behind in the vice governor race.

In Rizal, veteran actor Jestoni Alarcon topped the race for board members. He previously served as vice governor of the province and as councilor in Antipolo City.

In Tarlac, actor Arron Villaflor also placed fourth in the race for board members. Jason Abalos also secured a seat as board member.

In Bulacan, veteran actor Daniel Fernando secured his third term as governor. He previously served three consecutive terms as vice governor from 2010 to 2019. His running mate, actor and model Alex Castro, also won as vice governor.

In Ormoc City, Leyte, actress-turned-politician Lucy Torres-Gomez is set to serve her second consecutive term as mayor, a position previously held by her husband Richard. She previously held a seat in Congress as 4th district representative from 2013 to 2022.

Other celebrities who ran for a local position but are poised to lose their respective races include:

• Marjorie Barretto (Councilor, Caloocan City)
• Dennis Padilla (Councilor, Caloocan City)
• Victor Neri (Mayor, Makati City)
• Monsour del Rosario (Vice Mayor, Makati)
• Raymond Bagatsing (Mayor, Manila)
• Yul Servo (Vice Mayor, Manila)
• Mocha Uson (Councilor, Manila)
• David Chua (Councilor, Manila)
• Bong Alvarez (Councilor, Manila)
• Wendell Ramos (Councilor, Manila)
• Ryan Yllana (Councilor, Paranaque City)
• Shamcey Supsup (Councilor, Pasig City)
• Ara Mina (Councilor, Pasig City)
• Enzo Pineda (Councilor, Quezon City)
• Ali Forbes (Councilor, Quezon City)
• Philip Cezar (Mayor, San Juan City)
• Renren Ritualo (Councilor, San Juan City)
• Angelika Dela Cruz (Vice Mayor, Malabon)
• Danny Ildefonso (Councilor, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan)
• Aljur Abrenica (Councilor, Angeles City)
• Rommel Padilla (Mayor, Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija)
• Anjo Yllana (Vice Mayor, Calamba)
• DJ Durano (Mayor, Sogod, Cebu)
• Dondon Hontiveros (Vice Mayor, Cebu City)
• Bobet Vidanes (Mayor, Pililla, Rizal)
• Ejay Falcon (Congressman, Oriental Mindoro)
• Lito Camo (Mayor, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro)

—JCB/GMA Integrated News

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