Makabayan bets cast votes hoping to figure in Senate’s Magic 12
Metro Manila, Philippines - Candidates from the progressive Makabayan slate cast their ballots in the 2025 midterm elections on Monday, May 12, with optimism that they can secure enough votes to win Senate seats.
The Makabayan campaign team earlier said the 11 senatorial candidates will vote by 8 a.m. in their respective polling places.
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, healthcare worker and health advocate Alyn Andamo, and Makabayan president Liza Maza were the first to cast their votes in their respective polling sites.
Fisherfolk leader Ronnel Arambulo and farmers group leader Danilo Ramos have cast their votes in their polling sites at Rizal and Bulacan, respectively.
Before noon, outgoing Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas registered her vote in Quezon City while former lawmaker Teddy Casiño voted in Makati City,
Transport group leader Mody Floranda voted in Quezon City.
Labor leader Jerome Adonis and urban poor activist Mimi Doringo cast their votes in Caloocan.
Moro activist Amirah Lidasan went to Maguindanao in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to vote only to find out she was still registered in Cotabato City.
The 11-member Makabayan slate has expressed confidence that its “ground campaigning” garnered significant interest in communities, claiming such a “warm reception” was not reflected in pre-election surveys.
The progressives were far from the winning circle in the final surveys of Pulse Asia, Social Weather Stations, Octa Research, and WR Numero.
A coalition of various sectoral groups, Makabayan has a consensus in their campaign platforms for what they call a “nationalist democratic agenda.”
Their calls include living wages, free services for basic needs, and addressing human rights, but most prominent was their support for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte over her alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Around 68 million Filipinos are eligible to vote in the 2025 midterm elections. Polls opened at 7 a.m.
