As the Philippines approaches the 2025 Senate elections, the political landscape is increasingly dominated by the escalating feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. This rivalry is drawing attention away from critical issues such as rising hunger and economic challenges facing the nation. Duterte-Carpio has publicly criticized Marcos Jr.'s performance, even threatening extreme actions against his family, which has led to a significant drop in her public trust rating from 65% to 55% in September [5955a9f7].
Recent reports indicate that 22.9% of Filipino families are experiencing involuntary hunger, affecting approximately 24 million people. Despite claims of low inflation at 1.9%, food prices remain stubbornly high, contributing to the Philippines having the highest hunger rate in ASEAN. From 2021 to 2023, 51 million Filipinos faced food insecurity [5955a9f7].
In the context of the upcoming elections, candidates aligned with Marcos are currently leading in polls, with nine of the twelve candidates showing strong support according to a recent Pulse Asia survey [cd1ff4c4]. Imee Marcos, the president's sister, has also announced her independent candidacy, adding complexity to the electoral dynamics [cd1ff4c4].
Former President Rodrigo Duterte's popularity is waning, placing him sixth in the rankings, which reflects shifting public sentiment amid the ongoing political discord [cd1ff4c4]. The political environment is further complicated by the disqualification of Smartmatic as the voting technology provider, with Miru Systems set to lease voting machines for a staggering 17.98 billion pesos (approximately US$321 million) [cd1ff4c4].
For the first time, internet voting will be allowed for overseas Filipinos, a significant move aimed at increasing participation among the diaspora [cd1ff4c4]. Additionally, there will be increased scrutiny on candidates' social media accounts to combat disinformation, highlighting concerns over the impact of misinformation on the electoral process [cd1ff4c4].
As the election date approaches, analysts warn that the ongoing political discord between Marcos and Duterte may hinder economic growth plans and exacerbate the hunger crisis, posing a significant risk to the stability of the Philippines [5955a9f7].