Here is a list of some of the aspiring senatorial candidates in 2022.

Elections 2022 are near. On May 9, 2022, we are not only tasked to choose candidates for the presidential and vice-presidential seat, but also for the senate. While we only choose one president and vice president, choosing senators is more challenging as we need 12 out of the many who filed for candidacy.

To help you decide your list of senatorial candidates in 2022, here are 14 choices with quick biographies and list of achievements.

Bautista, Herbert Bistek

Herbert Constantine Maclang Bautista, 54, is a former award-winning actor, then vice mayor and mayor of Quezon. He is also known as the youngest and first bachelor Vice Mayor of Quezon City when he was elected in May 1995 and held the post for a total of 12 years.

Political History

• City Councilor, 1992 to 1995
• Chairperson, City Council Committee on Tourism and Cultural Affairs
• Quezon City Vice Mayor, 1995 to 1998, 2001 to 2010
• Quezon City Mayor, 2010 to 2019
• Commissioner-at-large, National Youth Commission (NYC), 1999
• Board of Directors, YMCA-QC Inc.
• Member, Rotary Club of Kamuning
• Founding President, Association of Graduate Students and Alumni of the UP Diliman College of Public Administration
• Member, Philippine Constitution Institution

Achievements

• Development of the Quezon City Housing Department
• Quezon City Socialized Housing Program (later known as Bistekville), 32 to 36 housing sites in Quezon City, and Rizal and Bulacan provinces for at least 10,000 families
• Founder, Quezon City Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center of “Tahanan”

Binay, Jojo

Jejomar “Jojo” Cabauatan Binay, 79, is a Filipino politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines under President Benigno Aquino III. He was also appointed by former president Corazon Aquino as officer in-charge of Makati from 1986-1987. After his assignment, he was elected as Mayor of Makati in 1988 and served until 1998. 

Political History

• Vice President of the Philippines, 2010-2016
• Makati City Mayor, 1988-1998
• Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), 1990 to 1991
• Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council
• Presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino workers

Achievements

• Made Makati a highly-urbanized city on February 4, 1995.
• Housing program – Built approximately 750,000 homes. 

Cayetano, Alan Peter

Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano, 51, is a Filipino politician and diplomat serving as the Representative of Taguig–Pateros’s 1st district since 2019. He was the Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2019 until his resignation in October 2020. He served as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2018 in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte. 

Political History

• Representative of Taguig–Pateros’s 1st District since 2019
• Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2019
• Secretary of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte, 2017 to 2018
• Member of the Senate, 2007 to 2017
• Served as Senate Minority Leader, 2010 to 2013
• Senate Majority Leader, 2013 to 2016
• Councilor of Taguig, 1992 to 1995
• Vice Mayor of Taguig, 1995 to 1998
• Member of the House of Representatives, 1998 to 2007

Achievements

• Iskolar ng Bayan Act of 2014 – This provided scholarship grants to top graduates of all public high schools in state-owned universities and colleges.
• Student-Athletes Protection Act – This law prohibits the commercialization of student-athletes.
• Magna Carta for Disabled Persons – This law promotes disabled people’s rehabilitation, self-development, and self-sufficiency, as well as their incorporation into society.
• Amendment of the Philippine Passport Act – The Philippine passport’s validity was extended to ten (10) years as a result.

Ejercito, JV Estrada

Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito, 59, is a Filipino politician and businessman who served as a senator from 2013 to 2019. He had also served as the representative of San Juan from 2010 to 2013 and was the city’s mayor from 2001 to 2010. He is a son of former Philippine president Joseph Estrada, and a half-brother of former senator Jinggoy Estrada.

Political History

• Representative of San Juan, 2010 to 2013
• San Juan Mayor, 2001 to 2010
• Senator
• Vice Chairman of the Committees on Labor and Employment, and Local Government
• Chairman of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs and the Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement
• Commissioned Reserve Officer of the Philippine Marine Corps

Achievements

• Increased San Juan’s revenue from P300 million in 2001 to P1.2 billion pesos in 2010.
• Under his tutelage, San Juan was declared a highly urbanized city in June 2007 as a result of its rapid growth.
• The Kasambahay Bill, one of 149 House Bills and 18 House Resolutions he drafted.
• HB 4225: Participatory Governance Through CSOs Empowerment Act of 2011
• HB 4541: Mercury Exposure Information Act of 2011
• HB 4565: Local Housing Boards Act
• HB 5870: Cadastral Survey Act of 2012

Escudero, Chiz

Francis Joseph “Chiz” Guevarra Escudero, 53, is a Filipino lawyer and politician serving as the governor of Sorsogon since 2019. He previously served as a senator from 2007 to 2019, and was the representative for Sorsogon’s 1st district from 1998 to 2007.  

Political History

• Representative of the First District of Sorsogon
• Assistant Majority Floor Leader and House Minority Floor Leader
• Assistant Deputy Majority of the 11th Congress, January to June 2001
• Governor of Sorsogon
• Member of the Alpha Phi Beta Debating Team
• Member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition

Achievements

• Ched Special Study Grant Program
• Lingap Para Sa Mahirap Program (Enhance Retail Access For The Poor (Erap) Sari-Sari Store)
• Livelihood Assistance To Various Cooperatives
• Support Assistance To Micro-Enterprises

Estrada, Jinggoy

Jose Pimentel Ejercito Jr., 59, is a Filipino politician, actor & film producer.He is the son of former Philippine President Joseph Estrada. He served as Vice Mayor of San Juan in 1988. After one term, he was immediately elected as the town’s mayor in 1992 and served until 2001. He became acting Senate President of the Philippines in 2013.

Political History

• Acting Senate President of the Philippines in 2013
• Vice Mayor of San Juan in 1988
• Mayor of San Juan, 1992 to 2001
• Elected as Senator, 2004 to 2016

Achievements 

• Batas Kasambahay – Estrada is the primary creator of the Kasambahay Law, which promotes the rights and welfare of Filipino domestic workers.
• Became the host of SaBAYAN, a television public service program that has aided a number of Filipinos through major exposures.
• He ranks fourth (4th) among the list of Senators with the most number of proposed legislations filed in the Upper House.

Gatchalian, Win

Sherwin Ting Gatchalian, 47, is a Filipino politician and businessman. He is currently serving as senator of the Republic of the Philippines. He previously served as the Representative of Valenzuela’s 1st district from 2001 to 2004 and from 2013 to 2016. He was the Mayor of Valenzuela from 2004 to 2013.

Political History

• Currently serving as senator of the Republic of the Philippines
• Mayor, Valenzuela, 2004 to 2013
• Representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela, 2013 to 2016
• Senator
• Member of National People’s Coalition

Achievements

• House Bill No. (HBN) 5905 Free Higher Education Act
• HBN-4284 CCTV Cameras for Crime Prevention Act 
• HBN-3681 Bill of Rights of Taxi Passengers
• HBN-2338 Mandatory ROTC Act
• HBN-2624 SIM Card Registration Act
• Increasing the budget for NAIA to transform its global image
• Proposed bill requiring proofs of parking space to car purchasers as a means to lessen traffic congestion.

Gordon, Wow Dick

Richard Juico Gordon, 76, is a Filipino lawyer and politician serving as a senator since 2016. He is also the chairman and chief executive officer of the Philippine Red Cross since 2004. He was also the youngest delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention. 

Political History

• Mayor of Olongapo, 1980 to 1993
• Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, 1992 to 1998
• Secretary of Tourism, 2001 to 2004
• Senator, 2004 to 2010
• Elected as the delegate of the first district of Zambales to the 1971 Constitutional Convention

Achievements 

• Pushed for the creation of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and generated over 200,000 jobs on the back of over USD 3 billion in investments
• Chairman and CEO of Philippine Red Cross
• The Philippine Red Cross is recognized as one of the strongest Red Cross societies in the world

Hontiveros, Risa

Ana Theresia Hontiveros, 56, is a Filipina politician, community leader, and journalist serving as a senator since 2016. She previously served as a party-list representative for Akbayan from 2004 to 2010. She is a proponent of the SOGIE Equality Bill and an opposition figure against the country’s controversial drug war.

Political History

• Member of the Akbayan Party
• Inducted as a trustee of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation board
• Senator
• Chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, and Family Relations
• Chairperson of the Committee on Health for the 17th Congress

Achievements

• Improved the agrarian reform program of the government (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension With Reforms (CARPER) Law)
• Significantly decreased the cost of quality medicines in the country (Cheaper and Quality Medicines Law)
• Protects Filipinos (notably women) from catcalling, groping, persistent requests, and other forms of street harassment (Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act)
• Safeguards the mental health of Filipino citizens through education, medical advancements, and other support systems (Philippine Mental Health Law)

Legarda, Loren

Lorna Regina “Loren” Bautista Legarda, 62, is a Filipina politician, environmentalist, cultural worker, and former journalist who is currently serving as the representative of Antique and as a House Deputy Speaker. She is the only female in the Philippines to top two senatorial elections: 1998 and 2007.

Political History

• A three-term Senator
• Antique Congresswoman
• 2010 Vice presidential bid
• Representative of Antique and as a House Deputy Speaker

Achievements

• Senator Legarda worked for the enactment of laws on environmental governance like the Clean Air Act, the Solid Waste Management Act, the Climate Change Act and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act.
• For her outstanding work for the cause of Muslims, she was bestowed the title of Bai a labi (Honorary Muslim Princess) by the Marawi Sultanate league.
• Loren established the Libro ni Loren Foundation, Inc. to help improve the literacy level in the country’s poorest provinces. The foundation supports the education of indigent but deserving youth.

Padilla, Robin

Robinhood Ferdinand Cariño Padilla, 52, is a Filipino film actor, screenwriter, producer and director. He is known as the “Bad Boy” of Philippine cinema for portraying anti-hero protagonist gangster roles in films such as Anak ni Baby Ama, Grease Gun Gang, Bad Boy, and Bad Boy 2.

Political History

• Spokesperson for the Department of Health’s “Movement Against Malaria” campaign

Achievements

• Padilla established the Liwanag ng Kapayapaan Foundation, a preschool for underprivileged Muslim children in Quezon City.

Tulfo, Idol Raffy

Rafael Teshiba Tulfo, 62, is a Filipino broadcast journalist, columnist, radio presenter and television personality whose work focuses on government and private sector issues. Tulfo is commonly known as the host of the long-running public affairs radio program Wanted sa Radyo, and as the former anchor of Aksyon sa Tanghali from 2014 to 2020 that featured the segment Ipa-Raffy Tulfo Mo.

Political History

• Tulfo filed his certificate of candidacy for senator as an independent candidate for the 2022 senatorial election.
• He joined the senatorial slate of presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao on February 8, 2022

Achievements

• Through Tulfo’s Show, he brought quick justice to people by providing their needs in daily life and assisting them with home issues and societal injustices. 
• Best Male Newscaster

Villanueva, Joel Tesdaman

Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva, 46, is a Filipino politician, who serves as a Senator of the Philippines. He took his senatorial seat following the 2016 Philippine national elections, where he ranked second highest in the polls with 18,459,222 votes.He was the youngest member of the House of Representatives when he assumed office in February 2002.

Political History

• Won the Senate race in 2016, landing in second place
• Head of TESDA
• Youngest member of the House of Representatives when he assumed office in February 2002
• Senator of the Philippines

Achievements

• He introduced TESDA – which stands for Trabaho, Edukasyon, Serbisyo, Dignidad and Asenso (Employment, Education, Service, Dignity and Progress)

Villar, Mark

Mark Aguilar Villar, 43, is a Filipino politician and businessman who most recently served as the Secretary of Public Works and Highways from 2016 to 2021. He served as the Representative of Las Piñas in the Philippine House of Representatives and has also previously held executive positions in his family’s real estate businesses.

Political History

• Secretary of Public Works and Highways, 2016 to 2021
• Congressman of the lone district of Las Piñas
• Chairman of the House Committee on Trade and Industry
• Vice Chairman of the House Committees on Overseas Workers Affairs, Labor and Employment, and Science and Technology

Achievements

• Authored several bills on education, health and livelihood, including the Negosyo Act promoting microfinance and the Lemon Law protecting buyers of motor vehicles.
• One of the proponents of the Co-Loading Act which opened domestic transport and shipping to foreign vessels.
• During his time as secretary, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) completed a total of 29,264 km (18,184 mi) of roads, 5,950 bridges, 11,340 flood control projects, 222 evacuation centers, 133 Tatag ng Imprastraktura Para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (Tikas) projects, and 150,149 classrooms, while generating 6.5 million jobs. 

Have you decided on your senatorial slate yet? We hope that this list was able to help you pick the right people to take a seat in the Senate. – WhatALife! / Francis

Source: (legacy.senate.gov.ph)

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Also read: Know Your Elections 2022 Candidates Series