The Commission on Elections on Wednesday proclaimed the 12 winning senators in the May 9 elections who will be tasked to craft laws that will lift the country out from the pandemic in the next six years.
The proclamation ceremony was held at the Philippine International Convention Center, where the Comelec, sitting as National Board of Canvassers, also held the official count of the election results for the senatorial and party-list elections.
"As we usher in a new set of leaders from the local government units up to the national positions, I am proud to say that the Commission on Elections has successfully defended the sovereign right of the people to the democratic process of elections," Comelec chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said.
"It is time to proclaim the newly elected members of the Senate. Let us wish them success in leading our nation to its full potential," he added.
Actor Robin Padilla topped the senatorial race, qualifying him into the exclusive group of Senate topnotchers composed of celebrities, broadcasters, and well-known politicians, many of whom have also sought higher government positions in the past.
EXPLAINERS:
Robin Padilla is Number One Senator, Here's Why the Topnotcher Matters
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Two-time topnotcher Loren Legarda came second, followed by broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, who consistently topped the pre-election senatorial surveys.
Akbayan senator Risa Hontiveros is the lone opposition candidate to have made it in the winners' circle, placing 11th.
Brothers JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada also won, making them the third pair of senators who will serve in the 19th and 20th Congress coming from one family. The other two are Sen. Cynthia Villar and her son, former DPWH Sec. Mark Villar, and siblings Sen. Pia Cayetano and former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
Here are the 12 winning senators that were proclaimed by the Comelec with the number of votes they gathered.
- Robin Padilla - 26,612,434 votes
- Loren Legarda - 24,264,969 votes
- Raffy Tulfo - 23,396,954 votes
- Sherwin Gatchalian - 20,602,655 votes
- Francis Escudero - 20,271,458 votes
- Mark Villar - 19,475,592 votes
- Alan Peter Cayetano - 19,295,314 votes
- Juan Miguel Zubiri - 18,734,336 votes
- Joel Villanueva - 18,486,034 votes
- JV Ejercito - 15,841,858 votes
- Risa Hontiveros - 15,420,807 votes
- Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada - 15,108,625 votes
The proclamation for the winning party-list groups was supposed to take place on Thursday, but it was postponed to a later date pending the arrival of the certificate of canvass from Lanao Del Sur, where some areas will still hold special elections.
For the position of president and vice president, the official canvassing and proclamation will be done by Congress, which will resume session later in May.
READ MORE:
From President-Elect to Inauguration, How the Winner Assumes Power
Are Senators Still Presidents in Waiting?
Why 'Raffy Tulfo in Action' and 'Wowowin' are Powerful Vehicles for a Senate Run
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