About 97 individuals have manifested their intentions to run for president in the May 2022 national elections, according to the official list of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Most presidential aspirants have declared their goal of changing the governance style flourished by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, with some catalyzing hope for a better future for the country and its people.
All COCs are in! It's now the public's turn to review their bet's qualification as the next leader of the Republic of the Philippines.
Take a look at some of the personalities who are vying to be the next President of the country.
Sen. Manny Pacquiao
Does the People's Champ have what it takes to be the next leader of the Philippines?
It was no surprise when Pacquiao announced his presidential bid right after accepting the nomination of a faction in the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) to be its stand-bearer in the upcoming polls.
However, his acceptance also comes with a greater price: retiring from professional boxing after 26 years of fighting in the ring.
On October 1, the first day of filing COC, Pacquiao was the first in line to formalized his presidential bid along with his running-mate, former Manila mayor Lito Atienza.
If he gets elected, Pacquiao vowed to focus on poverty alleviation, improve COVID-19 pandemic response, boost internet connectivity, provide sufficient power supply, and put an end to corruption by jailing erring officials.
Pacquiao and Atienza are running under the PROMDI political party, which is in alliance with PDP-Laban.
Manila Mayor Francisco 'Isko Moreno' Domagoso
From Tondo to Malacañang, Moreno has poised himself to be a 'healing' president who will build a government of "national reconciliation."
Best known for his monicker Yorme, Moreno carries with him the story of a boy who grew up as a scavenger in Tondo, Manila before he was discovered and became an actor where he received his "Isko Moreno" screen name.
He later ventured into politics and went on to defeat political heavy-hitters in Manila, including former mayor and president Joseph “Erap” Estrada and former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.
In 2020, Moreno was among those names floating to be Duterte's potential successor. He also ranked well in previous presidential surveys.
His leadership has been put in the spotlight amid the COVID-19 pandemic as he was one of the local chief executives who personally became on the ground to check on the vaccination drives, lockdowns, testing, and contact tracing efforts in the country's capital city.
Moreno will be running along with Dr. Willie Ong, who both announced their tandem on September 22.
Leodegario "Ka Leody" de Guzman
For presidential aspirant Leody De Guzman, it is time for an ordinary citizen to become the next leader of the Philippines.
De Guzman, the chairperson of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, said that Filipinos already had enough of millionaires and famous personalities becoming Presidents of the country.
"May ramdam kami na marami ng mga botante natin ang nasusuya doon sa mga sikat, sa mga gwapo, at sa mga mayayaman. Wala naman nangyayari," De Guzman said during DZRH's Dos Por Dos.
[We believe that many voters are wary of famous, charismatic, and rich individuals. Nothing happens with them.]
For his Presidential run, De Guzman hopes to garner support from the silent majority and feel weary of the same promises made by candidates for the top government post in the country.
The labor leader said that he wants to put an end to the reign of the elite section of the society in the national government and veer the system to the interests of the indigent sector.
De Guzman confirmed his plans to run for President in the 2022 elections after accepting the nomination of the Partido Lakas ng Masa and other organizations.
Former Sen. Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson
Being a household name in politics, one of Lacson's so-called advantages against other presidential aspirants is his over 40 years of service in the government.
Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III were the first government officials to formally announce their presidential and vice-presidential bids for 2022.
He said they are "in the process of drawing up a roadmap or a master plan that will serve as our platform of government that we intend to present to our people."
Lacson, 73, also admitted that it would be a big problem to bring back the public's trust, noting that it can only be done by setting good leadership, this time.
"Malaking hamon subali’t kailangang maibalik ang tiwala ng ating mamamayan sa gobyerno at sa mga namumuno. I could not stress it enough. Ang tamang pamumuno ay dapat pangunahan ng ‘leadership by example’ hindi sa salita kundi sa gawa. No leader can succeed if he cannot practice what he preaches,” he said.
This will be his second attempt after an unsuccessful presidential bid in 2004.
Former Sen. Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.
Bongbong, the son and namesake of late Philippines' dictator Ferdinand Marcos, made headlines when he announced his candidacy for president.
Marcos, who will run under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, hopes to follow the footsteps of his father who ruled the country for more than two decades.
Previously, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) announced its endorsement of Marcos as a presidential candidate in the 2022 national elections.
In 2016, Marcos vied for the vice presidency but lost to Vice President Leni Robredo.
The Supreme Court (SC) sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) in February dismissed the electoral protest filed by Marcos against Robredo. The camp of Marcos has filed a motion for reconsideration before the high court.
Since returning to the Philippines in 1991 from a six-year exile in Hawaii after his father's overthrow in a "People Power" uprising, the Marcos family has been trying to rebuild its image, which was tainted by his father's brutal 1970s martial law era and billions of dollars of plundered wealth.
Vice President Leni Robredo
It is no doubt that Vice President Leni Robredo's decision to run for president is the much-awaited announcement amind the filing of COC last week.
Despite chairing the Liberal Party, she will be running as an independent candidate alongside her running mate Sen. Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan.
Prior to her announcement, the hashtags #LetLeniLead2022 and #LabanLeni2022 became trending topics in Twitter Philippines with netizens encouraging and expressing support to the Vice President's bid for the presidency.
A former human rights lawyer and widow to a former cabinet minister Robredo served as the housing minister under Duterte but quit after being excluded from cabinet meetings.
Prior to her announcement, Robredo admitted to speaking to other presidential contenders, including Moreno and Pacquiao, in an attempt to have a united opposition that can go against Duterte's endorsed candidate and the possible Bongbong Marcos presidency next year.
"The lack of good governance lies at the root of our many problems. This needs to end," Robredo said.
Should Robredo win the presidency, she would be the third woman to lead the Philippines after democracy champion Corazon Aquino in 1986 and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2001.
Ex-Duterte spokesman Ernesto Abella
Duterte's former spokesman Ernesto Abella will also try his luck to be the next leader of the country.
Abella, 72, was Duterte's first spokesperson during his first year in office before he was replaced by now presidential spokesman Harry Roque. . He will be running as an independent candidate.
Abella also served as an undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The public has yet to know his intentions in running as his candidacy also came as surprise to some.
Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa
The filing of Sen. Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa for the presidency is indeed something no one expected.
On Friday, Dela Rosa passed his COC, saying that PDP–Laban fielded him as no one else can continue the policies of the Duterte administration.
A former national police chief who led Duterte's controversial war on drugs campaign, he will be running under the Cusi-led PDP-Laban party.
When asked if he is mocking the election for serving as a placeholder for Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Dela Rosa replied, "I won as a senator, number 5," referring to the senatorial polls in 2019.
He then later revealed that this has long been planned, but opted to hide it because it would've been criticized if it was revealed earlier.
Dela Rosa will run alongside fellow senator Christopher "Bong" Go, who filed his COC for the vice presidency on Saturday.
Other candidates
Aside from the candidates mentioned above, here are other individuals who will be vying as the next President of the Philippines:
- Dave Aguila (Independent)
- Jose Montemayor (DPP)
- Ley Ordenes (Independent)
- Edmundo Rubi (Independent)
- Laurencio Yulaga (PGRP)
- Victoriano Inte (Independent)
- Tiburcio Marcos (Independent)
- Delia Aniñon (Independent)
- Leo Cadion (PGRP)
- Winston Kayanan (Independent)
- Gabriela Larot (Independent)
- Faisal Mangondato (Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi)
- Maria Mercedes Pesigan (Independent)
- Melchor Puno (Independent)
- Alfredo Respuesto (Independent)
- Juanita Trocenio (Independent)
- Renato Jose Valera (Independent)
- Arnel David (Independent)
- Leonardo Fernandez (Independent)
- Marsden Luyahan (Independent)
- Maria Aurora "Maria" Marcos (Independent)
- Edgar Niez (Independent)
- Valeriano Nocon III (Independent)
- Ramon Asuelo (Independent)
- Rudy Flores (Independent)
- Edencio Fronda (Independent)
- Norberto Gonzales (PDSP)
- Happy Lubarbio (Independent)
- Dante Martirez (Federal Eastern Maharlika)
- Dolores Quirao (Independent)
- Luzviminda Raval (Independent)
- Benjamin Rivera (Independent)
- Sahiron Salim (Independent)
- Jimmy Torres (KBL)
- Danilo Villanueva (Independent)
- Salic Arap (Independent)
- Ma. Antonia Aquino (Independent)
- Datu Rodulfo Basadre Jr.(Independent)
- Rolly Casino (Independent)
- Rodel de Vera (Independent)
- Ephraim Defiño (Independent)
- Alexander Encarnacion (Independent)
- Corina Joyce Felix (Independent)
- Nancy Megio (Independent)
- Domingo "Bro. Dingo" Mejia (Independent)
- Jose Romel Murio (Independent)
- Juan Juan Ollesca (Independent)
- Jeffrey Roden (Independent)
- Roosevelt Sta. Maria (Independent)
- Antonio Valdes (KDP)
- Loreto Agcaoile (Independent)
- Juan Aguilar Jr. (Independent)
- Hilario Andes (Independent)
- Arsenio Antiporda Jr. (Independent)
- Gerald Arcega (Independent)
- Reysal Bahian (Independent)
- Grepor Belgica (PDDS)
- Bonifacio Bravo (Independent)
- Diosdada Dacillo (Independent)
- Orlando de Guzman (Partido Pederal ng Maharlika)
- Percival Kevin de Guzman (Independent)
- Diane de Leon (Independent)
- Ramon Raco Diaz (Independent)
- Arsenio Dimaya (Independent)
- Ricardo Domingo (Independent)
- Antero Fabito (Independent)
- Anthony Fajardo (HOPE)
- Edmundo Fuerte (Independent)
- Kamadhenu Gaa (Independent)
- Alejo Katigbak (Independent)
- Danilo Lihaylihay (Independent)
- Edgardo Los Baños (Independent)
- Erazo Lucio (Independent)
- Josephine Murillo (Independent)
- Felix Natnat (Independent)
- Robert Navarro (Independent)
- Eric Negapatan (Independent)
- Vladimir Ocampo (Independent)
- Ferdinand Jose Pijao (Independent)
- Deogracias Porio (Independent)
- Danilo Roble (Independent)
- Cesar Roca (Independent)
- Cornelio Seño (Independent)
- Apolonia Soguilon (Maharlika People's Party)
- Pedrito Tagle (Independent)
- Nestor Talion (Independent)
- Anna Capella Velasco (Lakas–CMD)
