LIST: Celebrities, personalities running in 2025 midterm elections

MANILA, Philippines — The 2025 midterm elections officially enters its early stages with the filing of candidacies beginning October 1.

Many politicians are seeking re-election, making a comeback into politics, or running for different positions whether national or local.

Most politicians are recognizable by their names alone, and in a similar vein celebrities and online personalities are giving the political arena a go — some of whom have been successful and are seeking to maintain public office.

Here is Philstar.com's running list of celebrities and personalities running in the 2025 midterm elections.

Senate

Longtime actor-politician Lito Lapid is seeking reelection for the Senate. This will be his third consecutive term and sixth overall.

Accompanying him in filing was host-comedian and former Senate President Tito Sotto who is planning a return to the Senate following a failed vice-presidential bid in 2022.

Political vlogger and handler of the "Models of Manila TV" YouTube channel Marc Gamboa is running for Senate, with plans establish an office dedicated to fighting fake news.

House of Representatives

Actor-politician Arjo Atayde is seeking a second term as representative of the first legislative district of Quezon City under the “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas” party.

Another actor-polition seeking reelection is Leyte's fourth district representative Richard Gomez.

Also seeking reelection is actor-comedian Jolo Revilla, son of Bong Revilla and Lani Mercado, as the first district representative of Cavite.

Actor Marco Gumabao is taking a stab at politics as he filed his certificate of candidacy for congressman in Camarines Sur's fourth district, backed by the Villafuerte clan under the National Unity Party.

Party-lists at the House of Representatives

Social media personality Deo Balbuena, more popularly known as Diwata and the owner of Diwata Pares, is the fourth nominee of Vendors Partylist.

Diwata even quipped that if he's elected into Congress, he would offer "unli pares" and free softdrinks in the House of Representatives.

Vlogger Norris John Okamoto — whose content is mostly related to motorcyles — is the first nominee of the Lingap Partylist or the Liga ng Pagkakaisang Mahirap (League of the United Poor).

Political TikToker Eli San Fernando is the first nominee of the Kamanggagawa Partylist

Local

Actress Lucy Torres-Gomez is seeking reelection as mayor of Ormoc, Leyte, having succeeded her husband the previously mentioned Richard Gomez.

Actor-turned-politican Daniel Fernando is seeking reelection as Bulacan governor, having previously served as its vice governor, a member of the Provincial Board for its second district, and the Kabataang Barangay Chairman of Tabang in Guiguinto.

His running-mate singer-actor Alex Castro is seeking reelection as the province's vice governor, having previously served in Bulacan's Sangguniang Kabataan and Municipal Council (both for Marilao) and was a member of the Provincial Board for its fourth district.

Actor-politician Alfred Vargas is seeking reelection as councilor in the fifth district of Quezon City, having previously served as its congressman for three terms and prior to that a councilor term for the city's second district.

Actor Enzo Pineda — whose father Enrico previously served in Congress as the representative of 1-Pacman partylist — he filed his certificate of candidacy also for councilor in the fifth district of Quezon City.

Social media personality and entrepreneur Rosmar Tan is running for councilor in Manila's first district as an independent candidate.

She previously ran for councilor in Manila's fourth district in 2022 but finished a distant 20th from the six allocated seats.

"It's Showtime" host Ion Perez is vying for a councilor position in Concepcion, Tarlac a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Actress and former Viva Hot Babes member Jaycee Parker is seeking reelection as a councilor in Angeles City, Pampaga.

Actor and businessman Emilio Garcia is running for mayor in Bay, Laguna and was accompanied in his COC filing by Senator Robin Padilla.

Actor-turned-politician and former taekwondo champion Monsour del Rosario is running for Makati vice-mayor as the running-mate of Sen. Nancy Binay, who is looking to succeed her sister Abby as the latter runs for Senate.

Monsour previously served as the councilor (2010-2016) and representative (2016-19) of Makati's 1st District.