The 2025 Philippine Midterm Elections: Issues and Outcomes
May 20, 2025, 8:30 – 10:00 PM (HST)
PHILIPPINE STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Webinar
The Philippines is holding the midterm elections on 12 May 2025 where more than 68 million voters are casting their ballots for legislative and local government positions. Historically, the results of the midterm elections are seen as an informal referendum on the popularity of the incumbent president and his administration. Apart from this, the outcomes of the senatorial elections can also reveal the possible contenders for the 2028 presidential elections. However, other issues have figured in this particular electoral cycle such as the ongoing conflict between the Marcos and Duterte dynasty, the looming impeachment trial of Vice-Presidente Sara Duterte, and the approaching trial of former president Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court. Composed of well-recognized scholars and practitioners, this webinar examines the impact of these issues on the electoral campaign and analyses the results of the midterm elections. In particular, the speakers will analyse how the various campaigns traversed the polarized electoral landscape to effectively reach out to Filipino voters. Other presentations will focus on the conduct of the actual elections and how new reforms and regulations in electoral campaigning and electoral administration affected electoral integrity in the Philippines. Finally, this webinar will tackle the important role played by social media and disinformation narratives in the election campaigns.
About the Speaker
Dr Ronald D. Holmes is Professor at the Department of Political Science and Development Studies of De La Salle University Manila. Since 2008, he concurrently serves as president of the independent research organization, Pulse Asia Research Inc. His areas of research cover concerns or issues in comparative politics (specifically, select countries in Southeast Asia), elections and parties, public finance, and public opinion. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in History-Political Science from De La Salle University, his Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, and his Doctor of Philosophy in International, Political, and Strategic Studies from the Australian National University.
Dr Ma. Diosa Labiste is Dean of the College of Media and Communication, University of the Philippines Diliman where she also serves as Associate Professor in its Department of Journalism. A former community journalist, she earned her Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, with a focus on media, culture, and society. She is also one of the coordinators of Tsek.ph, a civil society and academe consortium on addressing digital disinformation in electoral politics in the Philippines.
Atty. Luie Tito Guia is a former election commissioner in the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in the Philippines. He is currently a Senior Professional Lecturer at the Tañada-Diokno School of Law and the Department of Political Science and Development Studies of De La Salle University, Manila. He co-founded Democratic Insights Group Inc., a non-profit organisation to promote competitive and voter-centred approach to elections. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (1986) and Bachelor of Laws (1991) degrees from the University of the Philippines.
Christian Esguerra is a Filipino political journalist and educator. He currently hosts Facts First, a podcast that tackles current issues in Philippine politics and governance. He was the former anchor of After the Fact on the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), launched in May 2020. Esguerra is also an assistant professor teaching political reporting and journalism ethics at the University of Santo Tomas (UST). In In 2020, he was awarded a Marshall McLuhan Fellowship.
Registration
This webinar will be delivered online entirely. You can join the webinar at the specified date and time using devices (computer, phone, or tablet) with internet connection.
Please register here to receive your unique link for joining the webinar.