Hontiveros open to run for President or VP if chosen by united opposition

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Monday said that she remains open to run for president or even vice president in the 2028 elections, if that is what the united opposition would agree upon.

In a press conference, Hontiveros emphasized that she is willing to take on any task to materialize a united opposition with strong candidacies in the 2028 elections.

“I remain open, I remain willing and ‘yung kondisyon ko ay ‘yung tulad nung matagal ko na rin sinasabi—kung piliin ng united opposition,” she said. 

(I remain open, I remain willing and my condition is the same as what I have been saying for a long time—if the united opposition chooses me.) 

“Kasi ayun din ang sinasabi ko rin nang matagal na kailangan ng oposisyon, kung lalaban kami sa 2028, ‘yun ang intention at desire ko na lalaban kami sa 2028, na mag-alok sa ating mamamayan ng pinakamalakas at credible na kandidato,” she added. 

(Because that's what I've been saying for a long time that what the opposition needs, if we will fight in 2028, and that's my intention and desire that we do so, is to offer our people the strongest and most credible candidate.) 

Asked if former vice president and incumbent Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo is still being considered as the opposition's standard bearer for the 2028 national polls, Hontiveros said that individual names do not matter at this point, as long as everyone in the opposition bands together. 

Hontiveros also said that their camp will also think about the possibility of pro-Marcos groups reaching out to the opposition ahead of the elections. 

“If ever lumapit, yun yung magiging subject ng matinding pag-iisip at pag-uusap sa hanay namin kasi nga, because of the very different histories,” she said. 

(If they reach out to us, that will be the subject of intense deliberations and discussion, considering our very different histories.) 

“Pero for anyone, hindi lang sila, other groups na sa labas ng Kakampinks o sa labas ng hanay ng oposisyon, syempre ‘yung magiging basis ng any possibility ng pag-uunite ay ‘yun, ‘yung enough common values,” she continued. 

(But aside from them, anyone or other groups outside the Kakampinks or the opposition, our basis of any possibility of uniting is if we have enough common values.) — BM, GMA Integrated News