Veteran lawmaker Tito Sotto aims for fifth Senate term
MANILA, Philippines — Former senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III filed his certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections on Wednesday, October 2, seeking a comeback to the upper house.
Sotto is running under the slate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas." He is currently a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, which struck a deal with Marcos’ Partido Federal ng Pilipinas a year before the 2025 midterms.
If elected, Sotto said he planned to advance measures made during his term that were not passed into law, such as the "Rightsizing the National Government Act."
“I would push for a law that would outlaw fake news. Fake context also, and then the 14 month pay law that I proposed before was not acted upon, and perhaps the hybrid elections,” Sotto said.
During Marcos’ introduction of his slate, the president said Sotto needed no introduction, acknowledging the veteran lawmaker’s decades-long presence in Philippine politics.
Political career. Sotto is one of the longest-serving senators in the country’s history, with a career spanning four non-consecutive terms.
He first entered the Senate in 1992 and served two consecutive terms until 1998. After a hiatus, he returned for a third and fourth term from 2010 to 2022. Throughout his tenure, Sotto held several key positions, including minority leader, Senate majority leader, and eventually, Senate president.
In the 2022 national elections, Sotto ran as vice president alongside former senator Panfilo Lacson in a bid for the country’s top leadership positions.
Although they were unsuccessful, Sotto and Lacson are now part of Marcos’ slate for the 2025 midterms, highlighting a notable shift in political alliances.
Prior to his entry into politics, Sotto was a musician. He composed “Magkaisa," one of the main anthems in the 1986 People Power Revolution, which ousted the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr, the current president's late father.
Now, almost four decades later, Sotto finds himself running under the banner of the younger Marcos, seeking another term in the legislative chamber where he spent most of his years in politics.
Legislative record. Sotto has authored and co-authored numerous laws across a range of sectors. Among the most significant are:
- Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165), which established the legal framework for combatting illegal drugs.
- Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 (RA 9994), which enhanced the benefits and privileges for senior citizens.
- Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 (RA 10586), which penalizes those caught driving under the influence.
- Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, which overhauled the tax system to improve the collection and distribution of government revenues.
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