by Elpidio R. Estioko
Have we encountered all-women candidates for president and vice president in the Philippines before? Maybe the 2028 presidential election will be the first!
The presidential election is scheduled to be held on May 8, 2028, as part of a general election that will also determine the control of Congress.
This early, politicians started to position themselves running for the highest positions of the land, and there is a possibility that all candidates from the major parties for president and vice president will be women.
Under the Constitution of the Philippines, incumbent president Bongbong Marcos is term-limited and is ineligible for re-election, so an administration candidate will have to be determined. Incumbent vice president Sara Duterte is eligible for re-election to a second term but has decided to run for president instead.
With the announcement of VP Sara Duterte to run for president recently, there is a possibility that a Sara-Imee tandem will emerge. Incumbent senator and sister of Bongbong, who has shown her opposition to her own brother president, Imee Marcos might be the vice-presidential candidate of Sara. The two have shown collaboration and a good relationship with each other that Imee is willing to be her running mate.
On the other hand, the opposition is grooming former Vice President and incumbent Mayor of Naga City Leni Robredo to run for president as their united opposition candidate.
With the recent meeting of President Bongbong and Mayor Leni celebrating projects of the city of Naga, Leni might even come out to be supported by the administration, and Sara might be the opposition candidate.
Leni, however, denied that their meeting was political and kept denying that she is not running for president but will continue to be Naga City’s chief executive.
These developments are slowly but surely shaping up, and should Leni finally agree to run, she might tap incumbent Senator Risa Hontiveros as her vice president. The latter has shown this as a possibility, so we’ll have all women candidates for the two highest positions of the land.
VP Sara Duterte has said she is running for president in the upcoming 2028 election, following the footsteps of her father, ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently on trial at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
In her announcement, she said: “It took me 47 years to understand that my life was never meant to be only mine. For a long time, I questioned the weight of responsibility to my family, to my country, to everyone who called on me. I am Sara Duterte, and I am running for president in the Philippines.”
While, as of February 2026, Sara has confirmed that she has already selected and “recruited” her running mate for the 2028 presidential elections, she has not yet publicly revealed their identity.
Being mentioned were Sen. Bam Aquino and Sen. Robin. Padilla, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, and Sen. Imee Marcos. As I see it, it may be Sen. Imee who will likely be the running mate.
Senator Imee Marcos expressed her support and openness to the tandem, stating, “basta sunud-sunuran ako dun” (I will just follow her lead). She even joked that she has long been Duterte’s “running mate,” saying: “Whether running, crawling, kneeling, standing, or sitting, I have never left her side.”
Despite her stated willingness, however, Imee clarified in mid-February 2026 that she was not officially confirming a vice-presidential run yet, noting that the Vice President had not yet officially tapped her.
The tandem was heavily pushed by Senator Robin Padilla, who described a Sara-Imee ticket as a “girl power” team.
These developments follow a widening gap between the Duterte family and the administration of President Bongbong Marcos, with Imee aligning herself with the opposition and the Duterte camp.
As to Leni for president, eight months into her new job as Naga chief, she said her decision remained the same — her priority is Naga City, not the presidency.
“I don’t want to be distracted because we have a lot of work to do. Our response [to calls to run] is the same: regrets, because I don’t want to be always leaving [Naga],” she said in Bicolano.
Along this line, Rep. Leila de Lima said she remains optimistic that former vice president and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo will run for president, calling her the “most winnable candidate.”
Leni’s continued service at the local level in Naga City only reinforces her credibility, showing she leads by example rather than ambition.
The 2028 election could mark a turning point for the Philippines: a chance to choose honesty over theatrics and unity over division. Leni’s extensive grassroots network, proven executive experience, and people-first programs give her a strong foundation for a renewed campaign.
If she builds broader alliances and captures the growing desire for clean and accountable leadership, she could inspire a coalition for real change.
Leni’s strength is not just her record—it’s her ability to remind Filipinos that leadership grounded in service and decency is still possible. A Leni comeback would not just be a political fight; it would be a moral reset for the nation.
As to Sen, Risa Hontiveros being Leni’s running mate, she has indicated she is open to running for either president or vice president in the 2028 Philippine elections, including a potential tandem with former Vice President Leni Robredo, provided it is chosen through a united opposition consensus.
Hontiveros stated, “I would be willing to take on any task na hihingin ng united opposition (that the united opposition asks of me).”
Hontiveros has emphasized that the goal is to present the “strongest and most credible candidate” for 2028, and she is focused on building a coalition rather than pushing her own candidacy.
Another possible running mate of Leni was Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. Sen. Erwin Tulfo and Sen. Bam Aquino. But, considering the situation, and as I see it, the running mate of Leni would be Risa.
So, are you ready for an all-women candidate for president and vice president come 2028?
ELPIDIO R. ESTIOKO was a veteran journalist in the Philippines and an award-winning journalist here in the US. He just published his book, Unlocking The Chain of Poverty: In Pursuit of the American Dream,” which is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Xlibris Publishing. For feedback, comments, please email the author at estiokoelpidio@gmail.com.
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