MANILA, Philippines — Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) chairperson and former Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casiño announced on Wednesday that he will run for the Senate under the Makabayan slate in the 2025 midterm elections.
This is Casiño’s second attempt at a Senate seat; he previously ran in the 2013 midterm elections but was unsuccessful.
In his speech at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City, Casiño said that he would run to fulfill the aspirations of many Filipinos for the country.
“Malugod ko pong tinatanggap ang hamon ng Makabayan Coalition. Sa darating na halalan, sa ikalawang pagkakataon, tatakbo ako para senador,” he said.
(I gladly accept the challenge of the Makabayan Coalition. In the upcoming elections, for the second time, I will run as a senator.)
“Tatakbo ako para itaguyod ang ating mga pangarap sa bayan. Bilang dating three-term congressman ng Bayan Muna, siyam na taon po akong naging kinatawan ng mga mahihirap at api sa Kongreso. Ito rin ang gagawin ko kapag nahalal na senador,” he added.
(I will run to champion the dreams of our nation. As a former three-term congressman of Bayan Muna, I was a representative of the poor in Congress for nine years. This is what I will do if I am elected as a senator.)
READ: Ex-Bayan Muna solon files P2-M civil suit vs Badoy, Celiz
The former congressman also underscored the need to elect progressive leaders with a clean track record.
“Kung ibig nating magkaroon ng boses ang taumbayan sa Senado, kailangan nating pagsikapang maluklok ang mga progresibong lider na may mahabang track record ng pagiging makabayan at makamasa,” he noted.
(If we want the masses to have a voice in the Senate, we need to elect progressive leaders with a long track record of being nationalist and mass-oriented.)
When asked what gave him hope to run for Senate again, he said it was the way people have grown and learned in the past year.
“What gives me hope, tingin ko, natuto na ang tao sa mga nangyaring nitong nakaraang taon. Nakita natin kung paano binaligtad ‘yung kung anumang tagumpay na nakamit natin nitong apat na dekadang paglaban sa tiraniya,” he said.
(What gives me hope, I think, is that people have learned from what happened in the past year. We have seen how the successes we achieved in four decades of fighting tyranny have been reversed.)
He also mentioned that people talk about the falling out of the ‘Uniteam’ or the tandem of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte.
“‘Yong pagbibiyak-biyak ng Uniteam, tingin ko, nagpapakita ‘yan sa taumbayan na ang mga lider na ito, whether it is the Duterte faction or the Marcos faction, eh sariling interes lang nila ang kanilang tinataguyod. At ito ang pinag-uusapan ng publiko at tingin ko, naghahanap na ang taumbayan ng iba naman,” he said.
(The Uniteam’s falling out shows that these leaders, whether it be a Duterte or a Marcos faction, only care about their interests. And this is what the public is talking about and I think they are looking for someone new.)
Joining Makabayan slate
Casiño shared that when he first ran for the Senate in 2013, he was the lone independent candidate of Makabayan. He said that this time, the Makabayan aims to field a complete slate.
“This time, hindi na lang tayo nag-iisa dahil ang desisyon ng Makabayan ay magpatakbo ng buong dose na Senate slate at dahil po dito ay mas magiging malakas na kampanya, mas maraming lugar na masasakop ng kampanya dahil di na lang iisang tao kung hindi siyam o labindalawang tao ang mangangampanya,” Casiño said.
(This time, we are not alone because Makabayan decided to field a complete slate, and because of this, our campaign is stronger, and there will be more places our campaigns can reach because it’s not just one, but nine or twelve people who will run for senators.)
“Mayroon nang teamwork at ‘yong range ng issues na kayang dalhin ay napakalawak na dahil mayroon tayong mula sa teachers, manggagawa, mangingisda, mga kababaihan,” he added.
(There is teamwork already and the range of issues that we can carry is broad because we have representatives advocating for teachers groups, workers, fisherfolks, and women.)
READ: Makabayan eyes full Senate slate for 2025
The following are the other aspiring senators who will be running under the Makabayan slate:
- Alliance of Concerned Teachers Representative France Castro
- Gabriela Partylist Representative Arlene Brosas
- Kilusang Mayo Uno Secretary General Jerome Adonis
- Former Gabriela Partylist Representative and former National Anti-poverty Commission Chairperson Liza Maza
- Pamalakaya Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo