Feeling 'wonderful tonight', Robin Padilla thanks voters a Muslim is back in Senate

Actor Robin Padilla, now senator-elect, on Wednesday thanked Filipino voters for bringing back a Muslim to the Senate.

Padilla, who received the most votes for senator in Eleksyon 2022, said his win was a symbol of the unity between Christians and Muslims in the country.

"Ang akin pong pagkapanalo ay isa pong simbulo ng pagkakaisa ng mga Muslim at Kristiyano. Sa loob po ng matagal na panahon, halos umabot po ng 30 taon, wala pong Muslim ang naging senador na," Padilla said.

"Ako po'y nakiusap na sana mabigyan niyo ng pagkakataon ang inyong mga kapatid na mabigyan ng representasyon sa Senado," he added.

Padilla ended his speech with lines from the Eric Clapton hit, which he sang in rallies during the campaign period.

“Bilang panghuling salita po, dahil dalawang minute lang ‘to, gusto ko pong malaman niyo na it's late in the evening. I feel wonderful tonight. Maraming salamat po," Padilla said to applause.

Padilla topped the senatorial race in the 2022 national and local elections with 26,612,434 votes based on the latest partial and official vote count by the National Board of Canvassers.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson Saidamen Pangarungan, who  handed Padilla his certificate of proclamation, welcomed the new senator-elect's feat.

“As a Muslim brother, we share a common advocacy in safeguarding the welfare of every Filipino, including the underprivileged and the marginalized and our Muslim population," Pangarungan said.

"I am proud that prior to entering politics, he’s always ready to provide much needed help to a sector as vulnerable as ours,” he added.

Aside from the actor, the following senatoriables also made it to the “Magic 12”:

• Loren Legarda - 24,264,969 votes
• Raffy Tulfo - 23,396,954 votes
• Sherwin Gatchalian - 20,602,655 votes
• Francis "Chiz" Escudero - 20,271,458 votes
• Mark Villar - 19,475,592 votes

ADVERTISEMENT

• Alan Cayetano - 19,295,314 votes
• Miguel Zubiri - 18,734,336 votes
• Joel Villanueva - 18,486,034 votes
• JV Ejercito - 15,841,858 votes
• Senator Risa Hontiveros - 15,420,807 votes
• Jinggoy Estrada - 15,108,625 votes

Other officials present in the proclamation include Senators Bong Go, Pia Cayetano, Cynthia Villar, and husband and former Senate President Manny Villar.

Escudero’s wife Heart Evangelista, as well as Gatchalian’s girlfriend Bianca Manalo, also graced the event.

Legarda, who will serve a fourth term as senator, expressed excitement to work with first-term senators whom she said “will bring a fresh perspective to the current problems facing the Senate today.”

“Hindi madali bumalik sa Senado sa pang-apat na termino. Hindi ko po kayo bibiguin,” Legarda said.

(It is not easy to go back to the Senate for a fourth term but I will not disappoint you.)

For his part, Tulfo promised to bring justice to Filipinos by addressing the issues he repeatedly encountered in his popular radio program.

“Maraming nagsasabi sa 'kin na paano 'yan pagdating mo sa Senado, anong gagawin mo at bakit mo iniwan ang programa mo...? Kaya ko naman daw gawin kahit hindi ako maging government official 'yung trabaho ng isang official which is magbigay ng tulong,” Tulfo said.

(Many people were asking me what will I do in the Senate and why did I leave my program when I can serve the public even without a government position.)

“Sabi ko sa kanila, well isa sa mga dahilan [ay] sapagkat... pare-parehong problema ang aking naiinkwentro at 'yung problema na 'yun masakit sa tenga, masakit sa dibdib. Palaging may mga nagsusumbong na naaapi, inaabuso at pinagsamantalahan,” he added.

(I told them one of the reasons is because I encounter similar problems every day. Someone is always complaining they were oppressed, abused, and exploited.

“Sila ang isang dahilan kung bakit ako ay dapat mapunta sa Senado para this time, mabigyan sila ng karapat-dapat na hustisya at matuldukan ang kanilang problema,” Tulfo said.

(They are one of the reasons I should be at the Senate so this time, I can give them rightful justice and put an end to their problems.) -Giselle Ombay and Sundy Locus/NB, GMA News