On the first day of filing the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the upcoming 2022 national elections, several prominent politicians led the pack of releectionists. 

Among them were Sorsogon Governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero who filed his candidacy for Senator through a representative. Before being elected as governor, Escudero was a senator from 2007 to 2019. He has been in politics since 1998 when he first served as Sorsosgon’s 1st District Representative. After his failed attempt on the vice presidency in the 2016 elections, Escudero is now seeking a senatorial comeback running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). 

Incumbent Senator Risa Hontiveros also filed her COC today. She has been in the Senate since 2016 and has passed 14 laws, including the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, the Philippine Mental Health Law and the Safe Street and Public Spaces Law. She is running under the Liberal Party. 

Antique Representative Loren Legarda was the first candidate to file her COC today, vying for a Senate comeback. She served the Senate for three terms, from 1998 to 2004 and from 2007 to 2019. Legarda is running under the banner of NPC, same with Escudero.

Earlier today, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto  also filed his candidacy which made him the first city mayor to file for reelection. 

Photo Credit: Facebook/officialchizescudero, Facebook/hontiverosrisa, Facebook/iamlorenlegarda