Local media in the Philippines say candidates allied with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are certain to have won more Senate seats than those backed by Vice President Sara Duterte.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration still has the trust of the Filipinos, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said at a briefing after the 2025 elections.

Eventual results could weaken president’s influence in Congress, undermine efforts to impeach his deputy and reshape 2028 presidential race.

Dominated by a fiery feud between two political dynasties, the Philippine mid-term elections have thrown up unexpected results that may shake President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr's hold on the senate. According to the latest count of 80% of the votes, Marcos allies appear to have captured fewer senate seats than expected.

Marcos Jr.'s alliance wins just 5 Senate seats as Duterte allies surge in midterms seen as a political rebuke. #Philippines, #DuterteVsMarcos

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. led the conferment ceremony of the 2023 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (Gamaba) at the historic Metropolitan Theater in Manila on May 7. This ceremony is the first time in Gamaba history wherein nine awardees were honored in a single conferment — marking the highest number of recipients in a single year.