Isko Moreno and Chi Atienza were elected mayor on his non-consecutive second term and vice mayor on her first term respectively, defeating incumbents Honey Lacuna and Yul Servo.
The election is expected to be competitive after Isko Moreno, who served as mayor from 2019 to 2022, reportedly formed the Bagong Maynila party to contest the election with a full slate of candidates, despite a plea from the incumbent Mayor Lacuna (who was his running mate in the 2019 election and his endorsed candidate in the 2022 election) to "reconsider his plans".[3] Moreno initially intended not to run for any position after losing in the 2022 presidential election.[4]
In August 2024, members of the city council allied with Moreno filed an injunction against Vice Mayor Yul Servo, Majority Floor Leader Ernesto Isip Jr., Minority Floor Leader Philip Lacuna, and 19 other councilors for conducting a session on July 23, when the city government declared all work to be suspended in view of Typhoon Carina.[3] The Moreno allies who filed the suit condemned the meeting as being "illegal and secret", noting that ₱83 million city council funds were transferred to the office of the mayor during the meeting.[5] The accused belied the suit and said that the session was live streamed.[5]
Electoral system
Local elections in the Philippines are held in every second Monday of May, every three years starting in 1992. Single-seat positions (mayor, vice mayor and House representative) are elected via first-past-the-post-voting. The mayor and vice mayor are elected by the city at-large, while the House representative and city councilors are elected per district.
City council elections are done via plurality block voting; for the Manila City Council, the city is divided into six districts, with each district sending six councilors. There are two other ex officio seats, from the municipal presidents of the Liga ng mga Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan; these will be determined later in the year at the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Voters in Manila shall also elect senators and party-list representatives on this day.
Campaign
The campaign period for local elections began on March 28, 2025, and ended on May 10.[6]
Campaign issues
Garbage collection contract
Reports stated that City Government of Manila did not pay its waste management firm Leonel Waste Management Corporation (Leonel) for its first 4 months of service in 2024 of ₱500 million. Incumbent Mayor Honey Lacuna dismissed the allegation that her administration did not pay, and not a debt.[7]
Issues
Campaign conduct
In April 2025, third district councilor candidate Mocha Uson was criticized over her campaign jingle featuring the double-meaning lyric "Cookie ni Mocha, ang sarap-sarap" (transl."Mocha's cookie, it's very delicious"), which was deemed sexually suggestive and objectifying. The COMELEC warned her, expressing concern that such content could detract from serious policy discussions and urged her to adopt a more appropriate campaign approach.[8] She later asked her campaign team to drop the jingle.[9]
Vote buying
On April 24, 2025, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Kontra Bigay committee issued show-cause orders to mayoral candidates Isko Moreno and Sam Verzosa over alleged vote buying activities surrounding their campaign.[10] A day later, it also issued show-cause order against incumbent Mayor Honey Lacuna also for alleged vote buying, as well as alleged abuse of state resources, surrounding her re-election campaign.[11]
On April 24, 2025, Isko Moreno and other candidates on his ticket were endorsed by Vice President Sara Duterte while campaigning in eastern Tondo, which is encompassed by the 2nd district.[13][14]
The incumbent mayor is Honey Lacuna, who was elected in 2022 with 63.68% of the vote. Elected as a member of Asenso Manileño, Lacuna is seeking reelection to a second consecutive term as a member of Lakas–CMD, having joined the party on August 7, 2024.[15]
Lacuna previously served as vice mayor from 2019 to 2022 under former Mayor Isko Moreno, who did not seek a second term to run for president of the Philippines.[16] Moreno was unsuccessful in his bid and had stated since 2021 that he would retire from politics if he lost.[4] However, in July 2024, media outlets reported that Moreno plans to seek a return to the mayoralty under a newly formed "Bagong Maynila" party, severing his ties to the Asenso Manileño party but remaining a member of Aksyon Demokratiko, continuing his role as its party president,[17] stating that he was just answering the calls that he should return as mayor.[18] Following the reports, Lacuna remained committed with her reelection bid and encouraged Moreno to reconsider his plans for the mayoralty, while maintaining respect for his eventual decision, emphasizing her "sibling love" for the former.[19]
On June 18, 2025, the Second Division of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) annulled Joey Uy's election to the House of Representatives over questions surrounding his citizenship, effectively handing victory to his opponent, Benny Abante. On July 7, COMELEC, sitting en banc, upheld the June 30 decision to reject Uy's motion for reconsideration and ordered Abante's formal proclamation as the duly elected representative for Manila's 6th district. The following day, Abante was officially declared the winner and immediately assumed office, returning to the post he previously held until June 30.[45][46][47]
The city council district, coterminus with Manila's 1st congressional district, is composed of barangays in western Tondo (Barangays 1-146).
Councilors Irma Alfonso, Niño dela Cruz, Jesus Fajardo Jr., Martin V. Isidro Jr. and Erick Ian Nieva are eligible for reelection, while Councilor Moises Lim is term-limited.
The city council district, coterminus with Manila's 2nd congressional district, is composed of barangays in eastern Tondo (Barangays 147-267).
Councilors Ruben Buenaventura, Rodolfo Lacsamana, Numero Lim, Roma Paula Robles-Daluz and Darwin Sia are eligible for reelection, however, Sia's certificate of candidacy was cancelled by the 2nd Division of COMELEC due to a previous criminal conviction that perpetually disqualified him from public office.[51] Councilor Macario Lacson is term-limited.
On May 20, 2025, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order against Sia's disqualification, allowing him to be proclaimed. He was the topnotcher in the election upon getting 72,745 votes.[52]
The city council district, coterminus with Manila's 3rd congressional district, is composed of barangays in Binondo, Quiapo, San Nicolas and Santa Cruz (Barangays 268-394).
Councilors Maile Atienza, Pamela Fugoso, Ernesto Isip Jr., Apple Nieto-Rodriguez and Tol Zarcal are eligible for reelection, while Councilor Terrence Alibarbar is term-limited. However, Nieto-Rodriguez chose to retire from the council to run for district representative.
Councilors Don Juan Bagatsing, Louisa Quintos and Science Reyes are eligible for reelection, while Councilors Krystle Marie Bacani, Luisito Chua and Joel T. Villanueva are term-limited.
The city council district, coterminus with Manila's 5th congressional district, is composed of barangays in Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Port Area, San Andres, and southern Paco (Barangays 649-828).
Councilors Roberto Espiritu II, Jaybee Hizon, Charry Ortega and Raymundo Yupangco are eligible for reelection, while Councilors Laris Borromeo and Ricardo Isip Jr. are term-limited.
The city council district, coterminus with Manila's 6th congressional district, is composed of barangays in northern Paco, Pandacan, San Miguel, Santa Ana, and Santa Mesa (Barangays 587-648 and 829-905).
Councilors Benny Fog Abante III, Salvador Philip Lacuna, Elmer Par, Luis Uy and Lou Veloso are eligible for reelection, while Councilor Carlos Castañeda is term-limited. However, Uy chose to retire from the council to run for district representative.
COMELEC en banc has ordered the suspension of the proclamation of Darwin Sia's victory pending resolution of the disqualification case filed against him,[54] however, on May 20, 2025, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order against his disqualification.[52]
Although Uy won the congressional race in the sixth district, the COMELEC declared his candidacy void due to his citizenship and proclaimed Abante for his re-election. This caused the disenfranchisement of voters from Manila's 6th District, however the decision wasn't final and executory which made Uy's proclamation still in effect.[55][56] On July 7, COMELEC, sitting en banc, upheld the June 30 decision to reject Uy's motion for reconsideration and ordered Abante's formal proclamation as the duly elected representative for Manila's 6th district. The following day, Abante was officially declared the winner and immediately assumed office.
Notes
↑ All city councilor candidates who ran under Asenso Manileño in the 2022 Manila local elections were also listed as affiliated with Aksyon Demokratiko on the list of candidates, reflecting Asenso Manileño's national affiliation with Aksyon Demokratiko during that time.[1]
↑ Even though Isko Moreno and some members of this ticket received endorsement from Vice President Sara Duterte and the DuterTen, there is no signed agreement between Aksyon and DuterTen that makes Aksyon as their official coalition partner or member.
↑ Disqualified by the 2nd Division of COMELEC on March 23, 2025; however, a temporary restraining order was issued by the Supreme Court on May 20, 2025 against the disqualification.[51][52]
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