Hontiveros ‘open’ to 2028 presidential run

National

SEN. Risa Hontiveros is not ruling out the possibility of running for president in the 2028 elections, potentially positioning herself as the standard-bearer of the opposition in a race that could pit her against the would-be endorsed candidate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and, possibly, Vice President Sara Duterte.

“I’m not saying no. I’m open to all possibilities,” Hontiveros said during the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Wednesday, May 21.

“At ’yun ‘yung hinihingi ko din sa lahat na mga kasama sa oposisyon or independent bloc na maging bukas kami sa lahat ng possibilities at sa isa’t isa, alang-alang sa oposisyon at alang-alang sa ating mga kababayan,” she added in a Philstar report.

However, the senator also emphasized that her current priority is to help consolidate the opposition bloc, which she believes is more pressing than prematurely naming a presidential bet.

“Kahit 'yung process of selection, 'yung strongest possible slate namin sa 2028 na lalaban at mananalo, we can decide that somewhere up the road. Tingin ko, ang pinaka-pinaka-urgent sa mga importante sa ngayon is magkaisa these nine months,” she said.

Hotiveros’ party-list group, Akbayan, topped the polls in the recently concluded midterm elections, while her allies, senators-elect Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, defied expectations to claim seats in the Magic 12.

Riding on the momentum of her allies’ midterm wins, Hontiveros stressed that their stands on various issues may still be at odds with one another.

“Kami lahat ng mga senador dito, we have our own decision-making process, we have our own pananaw. At nagre-respetuhan kami dyan kahit at lalo na sa loob ng tinatawag kong oposisyon…ang optimal senaryo ko ay magsama-sama kami either sa minority or sa independent bloc, sa loob at sa labas ng Senado” she said.

Hontiveros expressed her willingness to succeed Incumbent Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel who is set to finish his term in the 19th congress and to continue her work as chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality Committee in the 20th congress. (John Ryan Ledesma, CTU-TC Intern)