Hot Take: The 2025 Election Isn't Proof That the Electorate Has 'Woken Up'
Yes, Kiko-Bam won. Akbayan topped the party list. Ben Tulfo, Willie Revillame, and Bong Revilla all lost. But to say this was a "full-throated repudiation" of celebrity politics? I disagree.
This election wasn’t about merit. It was about machinery.
Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino didn't win because the public suddenly became morally enlightened. They were strategically positioned picks in the escalating Cold War between the Marcos administration and the Duterte bloc. Local government units (LGUs) aligned with Bongbong Marcos (BBM) used them to block Diehard Duterte Supporters (DDS) resurgence, while some Duterte-aligned forces backed them as a check and balance against BBM dominance. They were the safest bets in a fractured landscape.
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Ben, Bong, and Willie were strong in surveys. They had mass appeal, name recall, and media power. But when LGUs, Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), and local networks shifted their bets elsewhere in the final stretch, it was game over. They didn’t lose to better ideas—they lost to better networks.
Look at Rodante Marcoleta—consistently low in surveys, yet slid into the Senate on the back of INC bloc votes and Duterte’s grassroots machine. That alone kills the idea that this was a clean win for voter wisdom. I'm sure they're not even aware that he spearheaded the closure of ABS-CBN.
Imee Marcos survived by sailing between two factions. This wasn’t a clean rejection of trapo politics—it was a calculated realignment.
And if you're still convinced this was voter awakening: Lito Lapid is back. Jimmy Bondoc outpolled Manny Pacquiao and Heidi Mendoza. Duterte Youth placed second party-list.
Why? Because reliable internal reports say LGU endorsements were the top driver this cycle, followed closely by Duterte endorsements—and Duterte, is still the top 'celebrity' right now. Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa being near the top also confirms this.
This election wasn’t a rejection of celebrity culture & old politics—it was a proxy war between the Marcos and Duterte camps. The admin’s been trying to weaken the DDS bloc without a viable successor of their own, so they loaned out machinery to "neutral" or even liberal-leaning candidates just to dilute Duterte's influence. It’s opportunism, not principle.
So no, my hot take is—this isn’t proof the electorate has "woken up." It’s proof that power is still transactional. The battlefield changed, but the rules haven't.
Take the wins, but tread carefully. Everyone forgets—there's still a Cold War brewing over impeachment, and 2028 will be Sara Duterte’s for the taking. The only viable challenger, Raffy Tulfo, isn’t explicitly aligned with the admin, and the Tulfo machinery, as proven, still needs serious work. BBM has no clear successor that the people like, and the liberals are nothing without old politics & machinery.
This story originally appeared on Facebook and was republished with permission from the author. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.
Bob Freking is a writer, political PR professional, and F&B/e-commerce entrepreneur. He previously ran Default Café Pub (2017–2025) and is currently building a new concept in Makati. He has worked in political communications and digital media for various campaigns. Bob also releases OPM as HAILUCI—"Kung Mahal Ka Niya" is out now, with his latest single "Nangungulila" dropping on May 16.
