By Clarist Mae Zablan
(May 20, 2025) – The 12 candidates who were proclaimed winners of the 2025 senatorial elections are a mix of administration bets, allies of former president Rodrigo Duterte, and independent candidates who are associated with neither. Their campaign generated conversations among netizens online, but some candidates were talked about more than others.
Based on the Philippine senatorial dashboard created through a partnership with MQuest Ventures and Meltwater — a global leader in media, social and consumer intelligence — the “Magic 12” winners who drove the most discussions online are those affiliated with Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), as well as those considered as independents.
Most admin bets lag in online traction
Although the coalition initially dominated the “Magic 12” in pre-election surveys, most of the winning senators under the Marcos administration’s “Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas” were not as discussed as their peers, only garnering posts between 6,000 and 10,000 each from the start of the campaign period for national posts on February 11 (12 a.m.), up to the proclamation day on May 17 (11:59 p.m.).
This trend was consistent throughout the campaign period up until their proclamation, except for Lito Lapid who saw some uptick in discussions mentioning him between the day of the election and of proclamation.
The posts about incumbent senators Lapid (above) and Pia Cayetano (below) that gained the widest reach online are mainly focused on employment and economic security. This is the estimated audience size based on the followers of accounts posting about candidates. Notably, several of these posts mention the two senators alongside other Alyansa candidates.
Returning senators Tito Sotto (above) and Ping Lacson (below), both experienced legislators who have touted themselves as advocates against corruption, mainly drew discussions about this topic. These posts also enjoyed the widest reach among other topics about them — those that mention former police chief Lacson were seen by more than 3 million users, while those that mention Sotto were exposed to over 1.5 million users.
For ACT-CIS Rep. Ewrin Tulfo, it was the online posts about political dynasties that drew both the widest reach and the most engagement — this refers to actions such as likes, reposts, comments, shares, and favorites.
To recall, Tulfo, along with several of his relatives, faced a disqualification case against his senatorial bid, which partly cited the constitutional provision against political dynasties. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has thrown out the petition.
Curiously, the Alyansa candidate who drew the most social media posts was the one who also secured a last-minute endorsement by the rival party PDP: Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar.
The bulk of the discussion about her on social media platforms are related to corruption, of which many were driven by news of the COMELEC issuing a show-cause order against her on allegations of vote-buying. The poll body later dropped the complaint.
Erstwhile Alyansa bet Sen. Imee Marcos generated even more posts, reach and engagements than any other winning candidates in the coalition, with much of the discussions that mentioned her focusing on topics of public safety and corruption.
During the campaign period, Marcos, the sister of Pres. Bongbong Marcos led a legislative inquiry on Duterte’s arrest and surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC) last March, insisting that there were irregularities in how it was done. This generated significant buzz online, and this reflected on Meltwater’s data.
Education, agriculture lead discussions on ‘pink’ bets
Former senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan — the winning candidates associated with former vice president and opposition leader Leni Robredo — mainly generated discussions about the sectors they have long focused their campaign promises on.
Food and agriculture was the most frequently posted topic about Pangilinan, who is known for passing laws aimed at supporting local farmers. These posts, among other content mentioning the former senator, also have the widest reach at more than 20 million users, while also attracting the most engagement at over 300,000.
Aquino is also known as the sponsor of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which institutionalized free tuition in state-owned colleges and universities, and this fact has been widely discussed online both before and after the elections.
After the partial and unofficial election results showed him to be a surprise winner in the senatorial race, many of his supporters also went on social media to defend the former senator in response to posts that downplayed his contribution to the “free tuition” law.
Sea row, ICC, Malasakit conversation on PDP bets
Of the PDP candidates, SAGIP Rep. Rodante Marcoleta is third in terms of the reach gained by posts about him. Much of the posts about him are on public safety and security; in particular, his remarks about the term “West Philippine Sea” generated buzz online.
“There is nothing as West Philippine Sea,” he said during a legislative inquiry last February. He explained in later statements that he was referring to how the term has not yet been recognized internationally. Under Philippine law, the term refers to the part of the hotly contested South China Sea that covers the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
WATCH: NewsExplainED: West Philippine Sea
Marcoleta is not the only PDP bet who drew public discussions mainly on public safety. Among Duterte allies, it was his former police chief and incumbent senator Bato dela Rosa who mainly drew conversations about the war on drugs after the former president was arrested and placed under the custody of the ICC.
Dela Rosa, having led the implementation of the anti-drug campaign, has voiced concerns that the ICC could arrest him next. Some netizens have also made similar speculations.
In contrast with his allies, the conversations around Sen. Bong Go on social media were focused on health, as well as employment and security. Go is currently the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, and has also been associated with the “Malasakit centers,” an initiative catering to indigent patients seeking medical assistance.
(CD)
