How celebs fared in the 2025 midterm polls

CEBU, Philippines — Star For All Season Vilma Santos is set to return as the Batangas governor, but her son Luis Manzano is trailing the vice gubernatorial race.

Actor Daniel Fernando will also extend his stay as the governor of Bulacan via a landslide victory. Former ABS-CBN reporter Sol Aragones, for her part, will be Laguna’s governor, defeating actor Dan Fernandez.

In Manila, Isko Moreno will also return as mayor, defeating Rhian Ramos’ boyfriend Sam Verzosa, and actor Raymond Bagatsing.

Lucy Torres will also return as mayor of Ormoc City. Meanwhile, former PBA star Vergel Meneses won the mayoralty race in Bulacan, Bulacan.

Vico Sotto will return as mayor of Pasig for his third term. His runningmate, former PBA player Dodot Jaworski, also won as vice mayor. In Quezon City, Vico’s cousin Gian Sotto was reelected vice mayor.

Actors Victor Neri (Makati), Emilio Garcia (Bay, Laguna), DJ Durano (Sogod, Cebu), talent manager Arnold Vegafria (Olongapo, Zambales) and director Bobet Vidanes (Pililla, Rizal) all lost their mayoralty bids.

Alex Gonzaga’s husband Mikee Morada won his vice mayoralty bid in Lipa City, Batangas, while Yul Servo failed to get reelected as Manila vice mayor. Monsour del Rosario (Makati), Angelika dela Cruz (Malabon) and Anjo Yllana (Calamba, Laguna) all lost their bids to be vice mayor.

In contrast, Angelu de Leon (Pasig), Aiko Melendez (Quezon City), Alfred Vargas (Quezon City), Joaquin Domagoso (Manila), Lou Veloso (Manila), James Yap (San Juan) and JC Parker (Angeles City) all won as councilors in their respective cities.

Former celebrity couple Marjorie Barretto and Dennis Padilla failed to win council seats in Caloocan City. Other celebrities who failed to secure council seats in their cities are Ara Mina (Pasig), Shamcey Supsup-Lee (Pasig City), Enzo Pineda (Quezon City), Ali Forbes (Quezon City), Aljur Abrenica (Angeles City), Abby Viduya (Parañaque), Ryan Yllana (Parañaque), David Chua (Manila), Bong Alvarez (Manila) and Mocha Uson (Manila).

As of press time, “Eat Bulaga” host Tito Sotto occupies the eighth spot in the Senate race with 11,925,460 votes, while action star Lito Lapid has 10,816,267 votes at the 11th spot. Erwin Tulfo’s brother, broadcaster Ben Tulfo, is at the 13th spot; action star Bong Revilla 14th; singer Jimmy Bondoc 17th; boxer Manny Pacquiao 18th; action star Phillip Salvador 19th; and TV host Willie Revillame 22nd.

A number of celebrities are also poised to keep their seats in the House of Representatives. In the race for first district of Quezon City, incumbent House Rep. Arjo Atayde is currently holding off former congressman Vincent “Bingbong” Pichay Crisologo.

Also facing competition is incumbent Richard Gomez, whose 141,055 votes leads the Leyte (4th District) race over Vicente “Ching” Veloso.

Lani Mercado-Revilla is running unopposed in the second district of Cavite and is set to see a second consecutive term, having also served from 2010 to 2016. Her son, Jolo Revilla, is leading the race in Cavite’s first district over Paul Abaya, a rematch of the 2022 elections.

Current Oriental Mindoro vice-governor Ejay Falcon is trailing in the province’s second district race with 78,088 votes to incumbent Rep. PA Umali, the latter leading with 99,700 votes.

Also trailing is Marco Gumabao in the race for Camarines Sur’s fourth district, whose 95,089 votes is currently below the 122,306 of incumbent Arnulf “Arnie” Fuentebella. — Philstar.com (FREEMAN)